The color combination on today’s Nice Price or No Dice Mondial T masks the car’s somewhat ungainly proportions. Let’s see if the price does as well.
While a good bit more rabid and sporting AWD for even more grip, Volkswagen’s top hot hatch, the Golf R, has never tugged enthusiasts’ heartstrings quite as much as the more established and accessible GTI. The 2012 Mk 6 Golf R we looked at yesterday proved no exception. Offering low mileage and a pleasant presentation, it still didn’t seem to stir many loins in the comments. And, at $16,900, few of you could get all that excited about its purchase prospects either. That ended up in a 56 percent No Dice loss.
Art, we should often be reminded, is in the eye of the beholder. With few exceptions, Ferraris have long been some of the most stunning automobiles ever to behold. For the most part, you can thank Pininfarina for that. As far as road-going rides carrying the Prancing Horse badge go, they’ve all been the work of that venerated Italian design house. That’s, of course, discounting the 208/308 GTB4, which was the work of Bertone.
When it came time to replace the Bertone-designed 2+2 GTB4, Ferrari went back to the well of Pininfarina, and the result was the Mondial. This, however, would prove to be one of the least successful partnerships between Ferrari and the Cambiano coachbuilder.
The creation of a 2+2 mid-engine sports tourer is admittedly no mean feat. The room necessary between the wheels to accommodate two sets of legs in series and, in the case of the later T edition, a longitudinally-mounted engine means that the Mondial suffers from dachshund-like proportions. That requires a wheelbase fully 12 inches longer than that of the exquisitely proportioned two-seat 328 GTB/S.
As a result, more than a few consider the Mondial to be ungainly, and honestly, even the space provided is just barely enough. The demand to fit everything in means the cabin is pushed forward. That forces the front wheel arches to encroach upon the footwells, requiring the driver and front passenger to cant their legs toward the car’s center. The back seat is endurable, but just barely. And god help you if you’re stuck back there on a hot day, owing to the Mondial’s overburdened A/C and the molto caldo V8 warming your backside. Sitting back there, you must also put up with the Cabriolet’s weird seat belt situation, which puts the shoulder belts for the front seats playing criss-cross from the center armrest.
Still, time heals most wounds, and this final model year 1992 Ferrari Mondial T has its appeal. A lot of that may have to do with the color combination; metallic azure blue with dove grey leather upholstery and a color-matched canvas cabriolet top. Add to that a clean presentation with no evidence of wear or tear anywhere on the car, and there actually is a lot to like here.
It’s seemingly mechanically sound as well. The 3405cc 32-valve V8 behind the seats offers up 296 horsepower and is mated to a five-speed manual transaxle. According to the ad, this car’s engine has been out three times, a party trick necessary for the replacement of the timing belts and water pump. Other maintenance and repairs noted are the rebuilding of the power steering rack and the fitting of new Michelin Pilot Sport all-season tires. The seller claims 21 years of ownership and says the car is free of any mechanical or electrical gremlins, calling it “Tight, tight, tight!” Service records will be provided to serious interested parties upon request.
Overall, the car has 37,000 miles on the clock. That’s not a lot for any normal car, but Ferraris seem to age in dog years, so that’s a hefty number for any Prancing Horse to bear. Still, the car doesn’t seem any the worse for wear after those miles and more than three decades of life. It also comes with a clean title and the very desirable tool kit case in the front boot. According to the ad, it carries current tags and never fails to pass its smog exams.
Today, the Mondial suffers from being considered one of, if not the least desirable model in Ferrari’s stable. That position was once held by the Mondial’s predecessor, the 308 GTB/4, but that model has found its niche and is now trading in the high five figures. It’s arguable that the Mondial will follow the same path, but right now, it’s also one of the least expensive cars to wear the iconic Prancing Horse badge in the used car market.
At $64,500, this Mondial T isn’t the cheapest, but it appears to be among the best. That’s always a better choice when moving into unknown car territory, but is this Cabriolet also a good deal?
What do you say? Is this Mondial well priced at that $64,500 asking? Or, is the price, like the car, a bit too ungainly?
You decide!
Cathedral City, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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