OPEN AIR PLEASURE
NEW HORIZONS FOR THE MONDIAL
OPEN AIR PLEASURE
The redesign of the Mondial 8 in 1982– and the adoption of the new V8 engine with four valves per cylinder – laid the basis for the Cabriolet version. As usual, the announcement was strongly supported by the North American market. Not many Ferraris are convertibles, given that Maranello more commonly produces spiders – two-seater cars designed from the start as open-top. In contrast, convertibles derive from coupés and come with four seats.
The convertible version of the Mondial Quattrovalvole – or QV – was unveiled to the press in September 1983 at the Military Academy of Modena in Palazzo Ducale, during a conference held, as usual, by Enzo Ferrari himself. The car made its official debut at the Brussels Motor Show the following January. Priority was given to customers on the West Coast of the US, especially California, where the very first vehicles in the series were sent. After that, production began for the European market. Pininfarina masterfully succeeded in giving the soft-top car the same silhouette as the coupé version. The soft-top model was anchored at the base of the two uprights of the rear window, folding into a concealed compartment behind the rear seats separated by an armrest, despite that area also housing the engine. At that time, the technology for manual soft-tops was yet to be developed. That is why the roof was rather complex and delicate to handle, in order to avoid causing damage when folding. That said, from an aesthetic point of view the Mondial Cabriolet was a success. Like the coupé, the Cabriolet was restyled twice, in 1985 and 1989, giving rise to the Mondial 3.2 and Mondial T. In June 1988, Pope John Paul II visited Ferrari before going to Modena. Piero Ferrari drove him around the Fiorano circuit in a Mondial Cabriolet to bless the faithful.
