First Drive: 1988 Ferrari Mondial

by Michael Satterfield - 11/14/2022

A friend of mine picked up a 1980s Ferrari, after months in the shop, he had recently gotten the Mondial 3.2 back from service and it was time to go for a drive. He had pulled the car out of a garage in Austin, Texas where it languished for the better part of a decade, and one thing old Italian cars don't like is sitting, but the price was right. As with all "cheap" Ferraris, the car needed a lot of work, including a very costly and hard-to-acquire fuel tank that had to be ordered from Italy. But finally, he had achieved a boyhood dream of owning a Ferrari, mind you, he has a McLaren and several other fun toys, but an 80s Ferrari had always been on his list.

So when he texted me to see if I wanted to drive the Ferrari on the great backroads of Limestone county, the answer was of course yes. He drove out to our offices in Groesbeck, it was a hot day, and even though it had just gotten the car back from service, the AC was on the fritz. I was having flashbacks to my days of trying to commute in my 1970 Fiat X1/9, I had almost forgotten that fear owners of old Italian cars have, never really knowing if you are going to get to your destination and if it does, will you be able to get back home. It does add an extra sense of adventure to every drive. 

When most people think of the 1980s Ferrari, the Testarossa is all that comes to mind, what guy in his 40s hasn't dreamed of blasting Kavinsky while ripping around in a Testarossa while being chased by Ford LTD police cars through the streets of Los Angeles, I mean I know I have. But a good Testarossa will set you back upwards of $175,000 these days while a Mondial that needs some love can be had for a tenth of the price. Now while the Mondial might be the entry-level classic Ferrari it is still hard to not love a Rosso Corsa red Ferrari with tan leather, and a gated shifter. 

I have driven a few Ferraris over the years, but all are far newer than the 1988 Mondial, a 360, a California T, and most recently a 458, all were very good cars to drive. But as I slide into the seat of the Mondial, I already know it is going to be a much different experience, the Mondial still feels very much like a car from the 1970s. The pedals are offset to avoid the large wheel well, ergonomics be damned. Once you figure out the awkward shifting, nearly every other control requires you to take your eyes off the road since nearly all other buttons are in the console behind the shifter. But that familiar smell of old Italian leather, a real Ferrari gated shifter, and the classic cassette deck does add a lot of charm to the cramped cockpit. The 3.2 Liter, fuel-injected quatrovalve V8 roars to life and produces an ambitious exhaust note for a car with the same zero-60 time as a new Kia Rio, but which would you rather drive? 

While I haven't driven any other old Ferraris I assume that like all old Italian cars, it is best to take your time and let everything get up to temperature. Once I have gotten out of town and on the backroads by Lake Limestone I start to give the car a little more throttle and push it in the corners. The sound of the midengine Ferrari V8 is amazing, even if I am only doing around 60 miles per hour, the steering is surprisingly much better than I expected in a 35-year-old sports car. While the coupe is considered more desirable by most collectors, I think the Cabriolet would be a little more fun. 

I swing by my parent's place on the edge of town and pick up my dad, growing up my father worked in the automotive aftermarket, I remember reading my dad's car magazines and watching him work on designs for new products, on his inspiration boards for many of his projects there were often contemporary cars and trucks including one I remember that had the full range of Ferraris pinned up above his desk. But while he always had cool cars when I was growing up, including a 1970 Mach 1, we never had Ferraris in the garage. Handing him the keys he is excited to drive his first Ferrari ever, especially since it is one that was once on his office wall. We head out for a spirited drive on the backroads and he instantly gets that goofy smile all of us car guys get when driving something special. 

It is nearly impossible to not smile while driving the Mondial, it is such a different experience than driving anything modern, it requires your full attention, and focus, and requires planning on wearing the right kind of shoes. Driving any Ferrari is an occasion and that magic is not lost simply because this Ferrari happens to be affordable. After dropping him back off at the house, I head into town to the office. 

Pulling back into downtown Groesbeck the car draws a crowd, in a small Texas town any Ferrari is an uncommon sight. My friend is waiting and is excited to share the car with as many people as possible letting them take turns sitting in it and answering questions. Before he jumps back in and for his own 30-minute drive home on backroads. The one great thing about car guys like him is that this car, like his others, will be driven and used. While many automotive enthusiasts may look down on the Mondial when compared to other classic Ferraris, the car really shouldn't be overlooked, it ticks all right boxes, has the same engine as the much more expensive 328, and if you hunt you can find a driver for less than a new Corolla.