1988 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet Red Convertible 3.2L V8 19216 Miles

1988 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 QV Cabriolet
- One Owner
- 19k Miles
- All Stock
- New Timing Belt, Water Pump, Tensioner
- Future Ferrari Collectable
(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1988 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 QV Cabriolet on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of this vehicle due to website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 190 photographs, please go to our main website: GarageKeptMotors.)
"Today, the Mondial represents a true bargain exotic...." Kurt Ernst, Hemmings Sports & Exotic Cars
Garage Kept Motors is pleased to present this one-owner 80's Ferrari for consideration, with a new timing belt, water pump, and tensioner just installed. The black soft top is brand new as well. Most Ferrari folks-and for sure, virtually every Mondial shopper-knows these cars were greeted less than enthusiastically when the first iteration of the Mondial was launched by Maranello in 1980. While much of the criticism failed to take into account the factory's design brief and positioning of the car as a more affordable 2+2 option versus the Ferrari 401, the early Mondials (the Mondial 8) did suffer from emissions-related horsepower deficiencies as well as a weight penalty that limited performance overall. Once the original 3.0-liter engine was upgraded to the QuattroValvole (4-valve) 3.2 liter V8 powerplant in 1985 (with a resulting 30% increase in horsepower) and shed some some 200 pounds, 0-60 times improved to the respectable seven-second range. This is why the QV models remain the more prized of the transverse-mounted, mid-engine Mondials.
A number of Ferrari design innovations first appeared on the Mondial, including a tubular steel chassis that broke from Ferrari norm by incorporating a detachable rear subframe, allowing easy removal of the engine and transmission. More involved and expensive engine-servicing procedures had long plagued Ferrari owners. This new design illustrated how Ferrari's goal of more affordability wasn't just marketing fluff. From a styling standpoint, the car's wedge shape and horizontal lines remain striking today, with the Mondial cabriolet specifically lauded for retaining the "flying buttress"-style rear extension of the roof as seen on the coupe version.
The 1988 Mondial QV Cabriolet offered here is one of just 629 drop-top examples in all. Its classic Ferrari-red over tan Connolly leather, with a black fabric top, is classic Maranello. It wears its prancing-horse front-fender "SF" yellow identification logo with justifiable pride. The same pride clearly characterized the sole owner of this sports car. The condition of every surface and finish throughout is indicative of true collector-quality as the more than 190 photographs and the walk-around video available at the GarageKeptMotors website attest. In many places, the car shows "as new." What's more, the sale includes a detailed Mondial-specific factory English-language workshop manual, a full factory- specifications statement, and factory electrical and wiring diagrams. That the car has only traveled about 600 miles-per-year over the course of its life makes owning this Mondial a rare opportunity. Again, being just a one-owner car with all the service work just performed, it is a great example at a very reasonable price point.
So, what can its new owner expect? For the investment-minded, the Mondial is expected to follow other Ferraris in valuation gains. But there's a more important and even more satisfying measure in our view. Call it "driver appreciation." Here's how Andrew Golseth of Petrolicious put it a coupe of years ago: "The Mondial packs a mid-engine V8 that sings beautifully, it's got awesome '80s flip-up headlights in a super '70s wedge design, the cabin looks like a nice place to sit with room for four, and the clickety-clack from the gated manual gearbox is sure to put a smile on your face."
And that smile is... priceless.