The last and best variant of an interesting 20-year experiment that Ferrari ran, the Mondial t is a lovely and underappreciated model that experienced enthusiasts recognize as one of the best Ferraris of the era. The model traces its history back to the 308 GT4, which appeared to either replace or supplement the 246 Dino in 1973. Under the skin, the new car was largely the same as the 246, aside from having a V8 in place of the V6, but externally, it was dramatically different, with controversial Marcello Gandini-penned Bertone styling. Its looks were contemporary, but fitting four seats and an engine, even if it was transversely mounted, inside of the wheelbase gave the GT4 proportions that never quite sang. A more conventionally beautiful Pininfarina-styled GTB variant of the 308 followed two years later, and the two models coexisted for the second half of the 70s, offering entry level Ferrari buyers the choice of two or four seats in packages that were very mechanically similar.
Evidently, buyers liked the choice enough for Ferrari to replace rather than retire the GT4 in 1980. The new car, called the Mondial 8, was styled by Pininfarina but retained most of the 308’s mechanical ingredients including its 2.9 liter V8 which was by now fuel injected. Like the 308, a four-valve version followed, and when the 308 became the 328 thanks to a displacement increase to 3.2 liters, the Mondial did the same. At this time, the Mondial also gained much of the same modernization treatment as the 328 such as more neatly integrated body-color wraparound bumpers, tidier auxiliary front lighting, and more contemporary interior treatment.
When the 328 gave way to the 348, the Mondial, surprisingly, was also updated despite substantial mechanical changes including a switch from transverse to longitudinal engine orientation. This variant of the car was called the Mondial t, and shockingly, this new longitudinal arrangement fit just fine in the Mondial t. The interior was also substantially revised including a new dashboard. This saw power rise from 214hp in the Mondial 8 to 300 hp in this final Mondial variant.
This particular example was sold new by Grand Prix Motors in Seattle, Washington on the 22nd of January 1990. By February of 1992, the car had been relocated to California and was serviced by Hollywood Sports Cars at that time. In 1994, the car’s current owner, also a California resident, acquired the car with approximately 12,000 miles and it has remained in the San Francisco Bay Area since then, covering a further 11,000 miles in the ensuing thirty years. A file a service records is included from this period, and the car has been maintained primarily by Patrick Ottis Company, including its most recent timing belt replacement, which was completed in May 2024. This service also included new fuel filters, coolant, and oil change. The car retains its original books set, tools, and tire repair kit and is a wonderfully undisturbed example with no deviations from stock aside from a vintage stereo system.
