If you had been the designer of the Mondial...

What ONE thing would you have changed about the look of the car?

I think about this with all cars, not just the Mondial. I'm a dyed in the wool Mondial lover. But having said that, if my last name was Farina... I'd have made the roof less flat. I think the cars would look better if the roof had the curvature of a GTB, 246 Dino, or even a Testarossa. Just a slight arch. It could be done by raising the overall height by an inch or so, or by making roof a more "tear drop" shape, with a more integrated slope at the back.

Like I said, I love the car. I'm also quite anti-modification on F cars, so I would be redoing my roof any time soon (ever). This is just for fun. Dime store car designer! So what about you guys?

If anyone's interested, I've also got some ideas about the 456, the 430, the 360, and a few more to boot! Haha.

 

It dazzles me that I see an overall wedge shape front to rear, but the line along the wheel arches is curvy/wavy. I think I would go for only one concept, preferably the wedge all along.

Always liked the generous placement of 3 round lights (one of which is only a reflector) per side on the 365 (that is boxer and GT4), throw that in for the Mondial but keep the 2 times 2 exhaust tips.

Cheers

braq

 

I'd never have bolted those grotesque black bumpers to the car splitting the car in 2 and destroying the shape. If nothing else they'd have been color coded. I might also have given the car bigger cheese graters for a bigger, more aggressive look. I'd have also given the car a dash display set at an angle for an adult not a midget.

 

Paul, that's interesting! We're thinking in opposite directions. My idea of a less flat roof shape was in response to the curvature of the rest of the car. I see what you're saying...although for me the 308 Dino is the ultimate "wedge" car.

 

Dave,

admitting it is 100% subjective...if I think EARLY 1980's the design that impressed because it was different from the classical lines (1960's) or the voluptuous lines of a Mercedes SLC in the 1970s to me were:

BMW M1
De Lorean

and, but lesser so,

Fiat X 1/9
Triumph TR7
Lotus Esprit


If I was the redesigner for the Mondial, those would be my references.

On a practical note:

The trunk would get an outside lock. How do you do it, when shopping?
Return and put all your purchases on the roof (because on the trunk lid would be counterproductive)? Then open cabin, press trunk button, walk back (leisurely picking up the items from the car roof) and stow?

cheers

braq

 

Shopping?

In a Ferrari?

Oh...the horror!!!!!

Sid

 

Great topic.
I think we all have looked at our car and asked ourselves that question.

I would not have changed a lot of the general design, except a more narrow waist and wide hips approach. The design is well proportioned even by todays car design standards,.The proof of this is that the 488 has the same wheelbase and the same length as the mondial.

The only big difference is the size of the wheels. At the time the car was designed, the biggest rims available where 16''.

Ferrari choose the metric 390 size which is closer to 15'' than 16'', I would have chosen 16''.
The mondial looks a bit stretched.
Big rims makes a car look shorter.
16'' looks good on 8 and QV with the black bumpers. On the 3.2 and T with integrated bumper design the metric looks to small, 16'' look better but 17'' looks best and even 18'' f360 look very good.
I do not know any other car that looks acceptable with wheels that come of a car that was designed 15 to 20 years later. Ferrari should have fitted 17'' mondial style wheels on the 3.2 and the T.

Some other details could have been better. like a electric insulated roof for the cabriolet.

 

Hi Sid,

LOL

given that I have to do shopping at times, best way to give it some meaning and get more Mondial time ;-)

cheers

braq

PS: I also visit the accountant, drop off the kid and deliver with it

 

I think it was some federally mandated thing?

"Cars for the US market were equipped with bulky, massive, heavy, protruding bumpers to comply with the 5-mile-per-hour bumper standard in effect from 1973 to 1982."

-James M. Flammang and the auto editors of Consumer Guide (2000)

Although I got to say in certain colors of the Mondial the bumpers grew on me. It's relatively easy I understand to modify if it's not your cup of tea...
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I would have made it easier for an old fat guy to get in and I would have made it easier for an old fat guy with big feet to drive it. Other than that I love it.

 

I like the mondial. Only visual cue I would work out better is the height or steep rake of the windshield. I wish it was more laid back like the countach or 308. So less greenhouse likely because of that.

Who doesn't like more curves? Only other thing.

Robb

 

The Mondial is almost perfect for me but I think I would have slightly lengthened wheelbase in order to have a front overhang shorter.

 

Get rid of the cheese graters! Put in a scoop like the 355 or Dino. Has anyone seen the car with them off? Very purposeful looking, although then you would need to move the wires behind them. I almost left one off when I had it painted; wish I had taken a picture. Never did like the cheese graters.

 

For me it's the hideous bumpers, everything else looks great.

 

Sounds like this is what people have in mind, bigger wheels, more integrated bumpers...or maybe the second pic, absent the aero items/F40 plexi, the stance and wheels would fit the comments so far.

I wonder if the swage was moved to down a couple of inches, with bumpers reaching a bit lower to match would be a good idea...would be more like the Boxer and 328 ratio of below to above the line, and would allow a boxer style paint job to look right. The line is otherwise too high to make that work.
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Stanced 3.2 above ace.
Agree Xavier, front overhang too long, just shorten it 100mm.
Dont mind the black bumpers on QV & 8, classically dated - however the filled nappy exhaust valance still looks wrong IMO.
The Mondial is getting better looking with everyday that passes.

 

IMO the 308GT4 is the better looking 2+2 mid-engined Ferrari/Dino.

Pete

 

+10000000 !!!

But that fact doesn't mean, that the Mondial isn't looking good too.

What to change if I would have been the designer?
The rearend, the line of the back (seen from the side) should have been more like the GT4 end, "rounder" not so sharp lined. (Sorry for my bad english)

 

Hey Markus, your English is a lot better than my German!!

 

I prefer the black bumpers of the 8 and the QV. I think they give the car a much more aggressive stance than the integrated bumpers of the later cars.

 

The rear end is too square looking. Seats needed proper headrest and/or taller seat backs.

Other crazy thought was to make it a 3 seater like the F1 McLaren!

 

DaveM, someone good at photoshop needs to come up with a depiction of a three (front) seat Mondial!

 

another one......the rear seat cushions are too long, if shorter would create more leg room.
The Evora had this problem and the latest version they shortened it.
Agree on the seat back height, too short!

 

The 3 piece rubber rear buttress and roof mouldings, leave it the same thickness but make it metal and body colour.

 

You can paint the 3 piece rubber rear buttress in body colour like on my 3.2
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