Just when you thought you’ve seen every automobile with a Ferrari badge, perhaps you’ve missed or forgotten about this one along the way. This is the 1988 Ferrari Mondial T ‘Speciale’ PPG Pace Car, chassis number 76390, a one-off design that was constructed exclusively for Pittsburgh-based Fortune 500 premier automotive finishing company, PPG Industries with intention for use as a pace car for PPG’s U.S. open-wheel racing Indy Car World Series. The chassis and engine were both borrowed from Ferrari’s final evolution of the Mondial model, known as the Mondial t (Coupe & Cabriolet). The ‘t’ derives from the transverse engine which is mounted longitudinally while the gearbox remains transverse, forming a 't', is is also used as an homage to Ferrari’s Ferrari 312T, which was driven by F1 World Champion Niki Lauda, and also used a transverse transmission. The body of the PPG Pace Car was fabricated by the Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering (I.DE.A Institute S.p.A.), and after the car was fully completed, it was shown for the first time ever at in the year 1989 at the Laguna Seca Raceway in central California. The PPG Pace Car Program ran from 1980 until 1997 and utilized a team of 14 total women drivers who all came from various different motorsport backgrounds. This very special and unbelievably unique car has been shown at numerous events, and has paced multiple PPG Indy Car World Series events around the United States. Due to the attention to detail when producing this one-off, which included the application of carbon-fiber reinforced epoxy body panels, leather bucket seats, and much more, the cost to build this unique project is said to have costed approximately $1,000,000.
How many made? 1
Engine: mid-mounted 3.4 L Tipo F119D/G V8 - 270hp
Debut: Laguna Seca Raceway, 1989
Top Speed: approximately 148mph
0-60mph: 6.3 seconds
Photo Credit: Sergei Yakovlev, Ferrari
Research: @rarecarsonly