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There were four series of Mondials: The Mondial 8, Mondial qv, Mondial 3.2 and Mondial t, which represent mainly engine changes, although the Mondial t also had smaller air intake grates behind the doors. The Mondial 8 had a two-valve fuel injected 3 liter engine; the qv also had a 3 liter but with four valves; the 3.2 had a 3.2 liter (duh) and the t had the 3.4 liter. There was no cabriolet version of the Mondial 8.
As to which version is best, they continued to get better throughout the life of the model, so the easy answer would be, the later the better. That of course assumes money is no object: a nice Mondial t can easily cost double the price of a nice Mondial 8. My perception, based purely on anecdotal information and periodic skimming of eBay and various classified ads, is that there is a bit of a jump in price from the 3.2 to the t. My gut feeling is that the qv and the 3.2 offer the best intersection of price and features. But, as with any 20-year-old model, the condition of a specific car is the most important consideration. A good Mondial 8 is a better buy than a ratty Mondial qv.
Coupe vs. cabriolet is entirely dependent on what you want the car for. Coupes cost less, but will sell for less and probably won't sell as quickly. The cabriolet convertible top apparently requires a fairly involved process to raise and lower; i.e., you can't just pull on the handle and put it up if it starts raining (in stark contrast to the Alfa Spider top). On the other hand, such practical concerns whither when confronted with facts like: it's a convertible Ferrari!
I have not driven one myself, but while they don't have quite the ooh-aah factor of their 308/328/348 kindred, people who have actually owned them rave about how fun to drive they are---even the Mondial 8s, which although par for the course in 1980-82 when they came out are rather slow by modern standards.
If you're considering a Mondial, you might also want to look at the 308GT4, which was the Mondial's predecessor. It was also a wedge-shaped mid-engined 2+2, and since they predated the worst of the performance-strangling emissions requirements they are actually fairly lively performers---some say the best drivers' cars of the 308 series. They're not quite as roomy as Mondials, but they do have a back seat. And they are among the least expensive Ferraris. (The early ones were badged as Dinos.)
Another car in that category is the Maserati Merak.
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Chuck King
1973 Berlina
Last edited by chasking; 12-15-2005 at 08:08 AM.
Reason: Typo.
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