same exact thing was said about the Dino and 308 GT4 (the latter as recent as 3 years ago)

Most 80’s Ferraris are awful? Does that include the 308/328/400/412/512/TR?

Referring to the Mondial 8 - there were a couple poor tests done in 1980 on the first iteration..the Mondial had a hard time shaking the rep since then and 3 iterations later..

Not wrong at all...the Mondial is probably the most under-rated exotic of all time...

Cherrypick? I used Road And Track 1984..you seem to allude that the review was an aberration. That’s actually one of the slower speeds (see the Motor Magazine article below, they clocked it in a 6.4)

I appreciate your response and thoughts. Completely agree that all these cars are slow as hell compared to today’s standards. In a way that’s sort one my points about sheer performance. It is very much about the context, epoch, and the era of the subject car. Case in point the lauded CRX or original Setra SE-R. Both…

I agree Axial, I think the 355 is the best sounding Ferrari... even better sounding than the recent 360/430/458. The 348 engine doesn’t sound as good, but man is it a thrill to run...the small v8 flat crank is simply glorious...as far as the looks of the Mondial - it’s a fools errand to debate aesthetics..I respect…

Mondial t has same exact engine as the 348

Volvo 240 GLT Turbo?

You are correct, the Vette was a world class performer - no doubt about it. You are preaching to the choir when it comes to the Vette and outright performance. However, there is another segment of the ‘sports car’ world that also focus on other dynamics than just outright performance. Otherwise the Miata and FRS/BRZ…

A lot of the awkwardness comes from federally mandated black bumpers (see Contach) and black trim ..check out what updated rims and painting the trim does...

The C4 ZR-1 is an excellent car, but as the article notes - the Mondial by all indications will only go up in value dramatically - they only made around 600 of this particular model.

MotorTrend’s conclusion was “The Mondial (8) is a wink or two slower than the 308...1/4 mile in the low 16s terminal speeds favor the 308 by 2 MPH”

The Mondial often got criticism due to the ‘compromises’ Ferrari took in creating it (4 seats, heavier, longer wheelbase) — but what was criticised as shortcomings were actually strengths for a Ferrari in my current life stage.

Easy...still the Mondial, 4 seats, full convertible (versus t top), much rarer and unique (only ~600 made for QV cab versus thousands of 308s) it’s friendly handling, and a properly updated one (just match the black trim to body color) IMHO looks better then a 308. Your hypothetical aside if they were the same price,…

You can blame a lot of the awkwardness on the federally mandated black bumpers, the Ts didn’t have this problem, and earlier ones are easier to modify if you don’t lke the look

I’ve been going to Ferrari owners meetups for close to 3 years now; I have not encountered any disdain from other owners. On the contrary, the response has been quite warm and inclusive. Perhaps they are simply hiding their disgust and plan on keeping the charade on for politeness. But that would be out of character…

Love the 400s - they are actually getting some more of the respect and admiration they deserve...classic cars often follow this cycle - Relevance->obsolescence->disdain->cult following->appreciation... The prices have been skyrocketing on well-maintained examples...another ‘hated’ Ferrari that has taken off in price…

It comes down the the electronics of the Mondial - he's right about that - Mondials have really $hitty electronics - but if you can replace/fix that - you're golden...

It basically comes down to the electrical system - the best course of action for these 30+ year old cars is to replace the fuse box with an upgraded one - and if you pocket book allows - replace the wiring harness - that usually does the trick - keep in mind a lot of people bought the Mondial that had no business…