Whenever we hear the name Ferrari, a few things come to mind. Firstly, we conjure up images of exotic and wild machines, that need the very best to tame them. Secondly, we naturally picture the names' success in Formula 1, and the image of the Prancing Horse winning at Le Mans. But another thing we think about with Ferrari is cost. Because naturally, a Ferrari is not going to be cheap. If you expect a Ferrari to be cheap, then you are probably not being realistic. However, in 2021, one model of Ferrari is what you might call cheap. For a Ferrari, anyway.

The Ferrari Mondial has always been something of a polarizing topic for Ferrari fans. It was never one of the fastest Ferrari’s, and nor was it one of the most powerful Ferrari’s ever built. These are just two reasons why the Mondial was never very popular back when it was launched, and also reasons why it is now suddenly a car that appeals to many as a classic buy. Because at the end of the day, there is a Ferrari badge on the front of that thing. This is why the Mondial is the cheapest Ferrari you can buy.

A Lack Of Ferrari Power

1982 Ferrari Mondial Front Quarter View
via Ferrari

The Mondial was produced from 1980 to 1993, and it was another car styled by the legendary Pininfarina with the bodywork created by Carrozzeria Scaglietti. Whilst those ingredients usually make for a great car, what seemed to let the Mondial down was its power and top speed. The Mondial was a mid-engine, V8 powered car throughout its life, with various Ferrari V8s being featured under the hood. None of these engines however produced anything like the power that customers would expect from a Ferrari.

The Mondial’s V8 produced just 214 hp, making it painfully under powered. This is made to look even worse when you discover that the car weighed 3,459 pounds, or 1,569 kg. That is a lot of car to lug around with a V8 engine that only produces 214 hp. It just isn’t going to work. Its 0-62 time is 9.5 seconds, and with a top speed of 148 mph, you can see why it started to look kind of pitiful. However, the speed and power statistics of the Mondial are not the only reasons that people didn’t seem so happy with the car.

RELATED: 14 Facts About The Ferrari F50 - The 1 V12 Car You Need In Your Garage

A Lack Of Reliability

Ferrari Mondial Pictured On A Test Drive In The UK
via Autocar

Top speed and power almost don’t matter so much as long as the car has strong reliability. Which, for the Mondial, wasn’t a saving grace as it had quite poor reliability. Take the Bosch injection system that the V8 engine had. Sounds great, right? For the Mondial, it wasn’t great, being a mechanical component meant it was complex, with no computer controlling at all. It could prove to be a real headache for owners, which again made people want to steer clear of the car. So we have a slow car, an unreliable car, and one that cost just as much as a good Ferrari would do. But that has helped to make this quite a cheap offering in modern times.

A Cheap Ferrari For Everyone?

Ferrari Mondial Front View Quarter Parked
via Classic Car Auctions

A Ferrari for everyone isn’t the best phrase to use, but it's not exactly incorrect. Most classic Ferrari’s tend to rocket upwards when it comes to their value, such as the 250 GTO or even more modern examples such as the rather underrated F50 and legendary F40. But the Mondial has always had a reasonable price point for those looking for a Ferrari. Some can go for less than $30,000, whereas the more desirable editions of the car such as the Mondial T and cabriolet’s can go from $35,000 to $40,000. This is still quite a lot less than all modern Ferraris.

Another thing the Mondial has going for it is its practicality. This is a four-seater Ferrari, that has great styling, and is comfortable to drive. So as a classic car, there is perhaps a lot more going for a Mondial for practical usage over many other classic cars out there. Perhaps what really hurt the Mondial was just because it was a Ferrari, as maybe if this was a Lancia or an Audi, it could have fared much better. But it is ironic that the issues we have mentioned above are what has helped make this car so affordable today, and quite an underappreciated classic.

RELATED: 10 Things Everyone Forgot About The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona

A Ferrari That Deserves Attention

Ferrari Mondial Head On View
via Classic Cars For Sale

It might not be the greatest Ferrari ever, but it isn’t the worst at all. Another thing it has going for it is spare parts are not that tricky to come by for it, although you will need to look around. It's funny to think that the car's issues when it was launched are what has helped it gain the fame and attention it carries today. Plus, this is still a car designed by Pininfarina that doesn’t cost too much more than an average family car does in 2021. So, a practical Ferrari, at a competitive price, and with great looks. What more could we ask for!

Sources: Auto Express, Ferrari, Autocar, Classic Car Auctions, Classic Cars For Sale