Ferrari Mondial 8

Why it matters

Presented at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show as the successor to the 308 GT4, the Mondial 8 returned Ferrari's four-seat mid-engined line to Pininfarina styling. Its longer 2,650 mm wheelbase created usable rear seating while retaining a transverse 2,927 cc V8, five-speed manual transaxle and independent suspension. Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection and electronic ignition made the new 2+2 more refined and tractable, while black bumpers, louvered side intakes and a low wedge profile gave the earliest Mondial its unmistakable character. The name recalled Ferrari's celebrated 1950s Mondial sports racers, with the numeral identifying its eight-cylinder engine. Ferrari produced 703 Mondial 8 coupes before the more powerful Mondial Quattrovalvole arrived, establishing the architectural foundation for a four-seat V8 family that remained in production for more than a decade.