1988 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet

The Ferrari Mondial convertible was produced by Ferrari from 1980 through to 1993.

The Mondial saw Ferrari return to Pininfarina for styling and it was sold as a mid-sized coupe and, eventually, a cabriolet. It was conceived as a 'usable' model, offering the practicality of four seats with the performance of a Ferrari. The car's body was not built as a monocoque in the same way as a conventional car; instead the steel outer body was produced by the famous Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Scaglietti, just down the road in nearby Modena and built over a lightweight steel box-section space frame. The Mondial model was the first Ferrari where the entire engine/gearbox/rear suspension assembly was mounted on a detachable steel sub-frame, making engine removal for a major rebuild or cylinder head removal much easier than it was on earlier models.Like the new 328 GTB, the Mondial's engine grew in both bore and stroke to 3.2 L (3185 cc) for 1985. Output was now 280 bhp (201 kW). Available in both Coupe and Cabriolet forms, styling was refreshed with restyled and body-coloured bumpers, similar to the 328 with more integrated indicators & driving lamps, and new wheels with a more rounded face. The 3.2 also boasted a major interior update with a more ergonomic layout and a more rounded instrument binnacle. From 1987 onwards cars sported ABS . Fuel injection remained, the primarily mechanical Bosch K-Jetronic (CIS) system with an Oâ‚‚ sensor in the exhaust providing feedback to a simple computer for mixture trimming. The ignition system came from Marelli Microplex. The 1988 Mondial 3.2 would be the final model year that retained the relatively low maintenance costs of the 308/328 drivetrain that allowed major service items like timing belt and clutch replacement to be performed with the engine/transmission package still in the car.

Finished in Azure Metallic Blue, this particular car has only covered a mere 6,456 miles since first being registered on the 1st of August 1998. Just to put that into context that equates to less than 500 miles per year. It was sold through Stratstone of Wilmslow to a private owner who hardly used the car whilst in his ownership. The car was then subsequently sold to Modena Engineering where records show it was listed on their stock at £110,000. Harrods then purchased the car in 1990 and it became part of the private "M Collection' of Mr. Dodi Fayed, where it remained until June 2004 (Records indicate the vehicle being stored at Dodi Fayed's home in Oxted). The 'M Collection' was subsequently sold by Christies in 1994, after which the car went into private ownership. The history and provenance of this car is beyond reproach and with such low mileage offers incredible investment potential for a Ferrari enthusiast.