Fueled by oil money and a societal abhorrence to permanence, Dubai is a disposable culture. Even, apparently, with super cars. Although the 1980 Ferrari Mondial 8 wasn’t the most beloved prancing stallion to emerge from the gates of Maranello, Tom Bird at Crank & Piston didn’t expect to find one slowly rotting away in the parking lot of a Dubai housing development.

Rot it certainly has – the once smooth and svelte Pininfarina-designed body, which was built by Carrozzeria Scaglietti rather than Ferrari itself – is suffering massively from tin worm. There are gaping holes in the roof, door panels and in the interior.

Half of a breeze block had been thrown through the windscreen and all the other glass had been shattered. Someone’s had a go at removing the wheels as the rear right alloy is sitting at rather a jaunty angle.

Oh yes, the cabin. What was once a sumptuous 2+2 seater finished with tan-coloured Connolly leather is now a dusty flea-ridden home to the local population of stray cats.

This US-spec Mondial 8′s 2926cc 16valve 3.0-litre V8 produced a heady 205bhp when new (European-spec cars produced 214bhp), which was good for 230kph.

Source | Jalopnik