This 1981 Ferrari Mondial 8 was sold new in Modena, Italy and delivered to its first owner in March of 1981 and currently shows 74,498 km. Finished in Grigio, this Mondial 8 represents this mid-engine 2+2 in its earliest iteration, wearing its deviating black trim around the car. Although this car debuted 4 years before the Testarossa, it features what could be considered an early iteration of the Testarossa’s side strakes, which help feed air into the radiators behind the cabin. Because of its 2+2 layout, the Mondial is discussed as the spiritual successor to the 308 GT4 from the mid-1970s, but unlike the Bertone-designed GT4, the Mondial was penned by the famed design house Pininfarina. The interior is classic Ferrari with rich tan Connolly leather wrapped around the seats, center console, lower dash, and door cards. Slide into the driver’s seat and you are greeted by a black 3-spoke Nardi steering wheel, a gauge pod with a large tach and speedometer right in front, and a quartet of smaller gauges off to your right. As the Mondial was intended for grand touring, all of the cars were fitted with air conditioning and a stereo system- which in this car is controlled by a great-looking vintage Pioneer CD head unit. If you need to bring more passengers with you, fold down the front seats, and a pair of heavily sculpted rear seats match those in the front, and are separated by a sizable leather-wrapped console. Powering the Mondial is a 3.0-liter variant of the flat-plane crank V8 found in the 308 GTSi of the era. Fitted with a mechanical Bosh K-Jetronic fuel injection system, the Mondial 8 was rated from the factory at 214 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque, with a remarkable for the time 7,700 rpm redline. This engine was then paired to the 5-speed manual transaxle out of the 308, which features a dog-leg first gear and the infamous metal shift gate in the cabin, which gives the oh-so-satisfying click when changing gears. The Mondial represents an exciting and unique alternative to more conventional classics from this era, like the Porsche 911 SC. For a reasonable amount of money, you have the chance to experience a truly legendary Ferrari powertrain paired with the famed open-gate 5-speed gearbox, but with enough practicality to bring the whole family along with you.