Ferrari Mondial QV

The Mondial 2+2 coupe was introduced as the Mondial 8 in 1980. It was the first Ferrari to depart from the company's familiar 3-digit naming scheme and was initially powered by the same mid/rear-mounted 214bhp 3-litre V8 as used in the Dino 308 GT4. The chassis was also based on the 308 GT4, but four inches longer in the wheelbase. Suspension was by double wishbones all around. The transmission was borrowed from Ferrari's F1 efforts and featured a transverse mounted gearbox which lowered the drive-line by five inches. The first Ferrari to offer power steering as an option, it also had air-conditioning as standard with climate control for both the driver and passenger.

Following some criticism of its relatively modest performance, Ferrari introduced a more potent version during the summer of 1982, the 240bhp QV. This gave the car a top speed of 146mph and could propel it to 60mph in just 6.4 seconds. When production ceased in 1993, some 6,800 Mondials had rolled off the Maranello production line, of which just 1,145 were QV coupes. With its proven drive-train and four seat practicality, the Mondial is considered an ideal entry into the fabled prancing horse club and is one of the marque's most reliable and inexpensive to maintain models.

This 1983 QV comes in the classic colour scheme of Rosso Red with a Crema leather interior. It has covered just 47,000 miles from new and comes with a massive service history to show regular careful maintenance. This includes 11 service stamps up to 42,000 miles and many bills since. The cambelt was changed in May last year, less than 1,000 miles ago. It has an MOT until September 2010. The car is in outstanding cosmetic condition and looks superb.

This is a late entry and will not appear in the printed catalogue