1986 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet

In the care of the vendor for the past five years, this US-supplied Ferrari Mondial was, we are told, built to full European specification so benefits from the full 266bhp rather than the depleted US-spec. It went straight into a private car collection with only delivery miles on it – and the car’s only UK owner has added just three to its American complement.

It is essentially still a brand-new car.

Except, it’s even better than that because it was fully recommissioned mechanically over here in 2017 with further work being completed two years later, so whereas any other car with so few miles under its belt would be crusty and dried out, this one is on-the-button and ready to be driven.

Not that you will, of course.

Because this is an absolute one-off chance to get your hands on a unique example, a car that’s in the same condition now as it was when it rolled out of the factory in Italy. As such, this is a Ferrari Mondial Cabriolet for the well-heeled enthusiast who simply refuses to compromise on quality or condition.

Look, it’s essentially as it was when it left the factory so this might be the most boring section you’re likely to read for a while. Shutlines, panel gaps, trim alignment and the overall fit ‘n’ finish are all as they were when it left Maranello 35 years ago.

As is the paintwork, which is simply stunning. Yes, we’re sure you could employ someone to get a better finish using modern paint but this is what they were like, back in the day. So yes, there’s some orange peel to the finish but this is original and that only happens once. The vendor asked his local expert to examine it when he first bought it in 2016 and they confirmed that the paintwork is still the original.

The TRX metric wheels are mint, so much so that they even have the factory sticker on them still. Of course, the Michelin TRX tyres are the originals and while they’re well out of date now you couldn’t care less, could you?

The spare wheel, which is stored in the trunk, is brand new, has never been fitted, and is still restrained by the original, and very beautiful, tan leather strap.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

As for the roof that you all think doesn’t fold down properly, the fact is that we are almost certainly only the second people to ever lower it (it was lowered to replace the rear window motor back in 2019) so we didn’t force it. It will fold down neatly away but that’s a job for the car’s next owner, not us.

Oh, and the tan tonneau cover is in such a good condition that we doubt it has ever seen direct sunlight…

There are no faults with it that we can find but if you fancy your chances, why not make an appointment to pop along and inspect it yourself?

What can we say about the interior? It’s brand new still, with barely a mark on it. We say ‘barely’ but the fact is we couldn’t find anything of any note to show it’s even been used for the 46 miles that are recorded on the odometer…

So, those gorgeous tan leather seats are unmarked and as buttock-hugging as they’ve ever been. The OE Momo steering wheel is like new. The white lettering on the gearknob for the dog-leg gearbox is as bright and vibrant now as it was when it was first applied, as is the red, blue and green around the heater controls.

It’s the same story for every other bit of lettering on the switches, dials, stalks and other controls. It’s all still immaculate and completely unmarked.

Heck, it’s even still got the Blaupunkt radio/cassette player in the dashboard and the wonderfully of-the-period inspection lamp that plugs into the Hella socket in the centre console. Have either of them ever been used? Almost certainly not, would be our best guess.

The trunk is very clean and still in exactly the same state as it was when the car was delivered.

The recommissioning work in 2017 involved replacing the cambelts plus refurbishing the fuel injectors and fuel metering head, fitting a new fuel pump, replacing the brake fluid, and installing new bonnet and boot struts. This work, which was carried out by marque expert Migliore Cars Ltd, set the vendor back more than £2,200.

The spark plugs were replaced two years later, in February 2019. This work, which included sorting out a recalcitrant window, was carried out by Bob Houghton who also inspected the car and confirmed that in its opinion the Ferrari’s condition is “in keeping with an unmolested low mileage car”.

Interestingly, Migliore Cars came to much the same conclusion when it worked on it too, and the Oregon Vehicle Certificate of Title also records the mileage as being just 43 when the car was sold.

The only change to the car’s original specification is a high-end ANSA exhaust system.

The engine bay is in exactly the sort of condition you’d expect, as is the underside. This is a car that’s probably never even had a proper heat cycle put through it and it shows.

The Ferrari’s MoT certificate is valid until the 20th April 2021. Only a short time left, yes but then we strongly suspect that whoever wins the auction won’t be registering it for the road anyway…

It has a couple of expired MoT certificates plus the two invoices for the work carried out here in the United Kingdom.

It also still has its original owner’s handbook, the stamped service history booklet, the book pack and storage wallet plus two sets of keys.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

While some might be a bit sniffy about the Mondial, we like its slightly quirky looks and its rarity means it draws as much of a crowd, if not more so, than some of its more obvious and gaudy siblings. Martin Buckley: “In a world where modern Ferrari seem to be getting uglier and more offensive on a daily basis, the Mondial is looking better all the time.”

We agree and think this is a car whose time has come.

And if you’re going to invest in a Mondial then you really do need to put your money in the very best on offer, surely?

And this is it. With a verifiable 46 miles on the clock, it’s essentially a brand-new example that’s been mechanically fettled and MOT’d yet isn’t road registered, leaving you to be the first registered keeper if you want to go down that road.

Of course, if you don’t then you could just have it as a static display safe in the knowledge that it is almost certainly the lowest mileage, best condition example anywhere in the world today.

This means that it won’t be cheap – but then how do you put a value on a one-off car like this?

With this in mind our guide price is between £74,500 and £120,000. That’s a hefty chunk of money for sure but if you want an investment-grade, museum-quality Mondial you simply won’t be able to do better than this.

Viewing is always encouraged, within Govt. guidelines of course, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.