Around town, the car is as docile as one could wish, the engine burbling softly. Its tractability also means there’s no need to go screaming through the rev range when the lights turn green. Wind noise is well controlled, and even with the sunroof open, it’s possible to converse, albeit with raised voices.
There is some tyre noise, especially when the car is driven over coarse concrete surfaces. But for a car of such high performance, the noise Ievels are well controlled.
There’s nothing spartan or basic about the interior. Cream hand-stitched leather is used on the seats, facia and door panels. The slim-rimmed steering wheel has three spokes, with the familiar prancing horse motif appearing on the boss.
During the test period we were driving in temperatures of over 27 deg C. But the Ferrari's standard air conditioning was barely able to keep cabin temperatures comfortable, even on the coldest setting. This was the one really disappointing feature of the car which is well appointed in so many ways.
Rear seat leg and headroom is on the marginal side but the children would no doubt appreciate arriving at school in a Mondial. The armrest between the rear seats contains a first-aid kit and conceals the emergency release for the engine cover.
Where the Mondial really does fall down is in the amount of room - or lack of it - for carrying odds and ends inside. The glove locker is practically useless and there are only small elasticated pockets on the doors for the handbook and a small map. The only place to stow sweets is in the small slippery tray positioned alongside the gear lever.
The front boot is not intended to carry much luggage; the brake servo, air conditioning accumulator and spare wheel take up much of the room. The spare is a 220/55VR390 Michelin TRX front wheel, which can also be used over a limited range on the rear. The main boot is located behind the engine bay, and holds a reasonable amount of luggage for two people.
