Ferrari Mondial T

The final Mondial came out in 1989 and was known as the Mondial T.

The “T” had a practical meaning. All the previous Mondial models had both their engines and gearboxes mounted transversely whereas the Mondial T kept the transverse orientation for the gearbox but had a longitudinally mounted engine. This configuration of engine and gearbox formed a “T” shape and allowed the engine to sit lower in the chassis for better handling.

The Mondial T had more power, its 3.4-liter V8 engine good for 300 bhp @ 7200 rpm and torque of 238 ft lbs @ 4200 rpm. The Mondial T was also the first Ferrari offered with power steering and as the first production Ferrari with adjustable suspension, operated via a switch on the console. A handful of Mondial Ts even came with a semi-automatic gearbox from French company Valeo. In terms of looks, the Mondial Ts can be most distinguished by the rectangular side intakes (earlier Mondial variants had trapezoidal intakes.

The Mondial T is the most prized of the Mondial models, but beware maintenance costs.

Unfortunately, the innovative new engine and gearbox layout also made the Mondial T more complex and costly to maintain and by 1993, the Mondial was finished, and Ferrari had no desire to name a successor. The Mondial’s chassis would underpin a new generation of 2-seat Ferraris, right up to the Ferrari 360.