575 Modificato replacement spied testing at Fiorano
December 2nd, 2005The Ferrari 550 was the first Ferrari we lusted after – its FR (front engine, rear drive) layout giving a more benign, intuitive feel than the edgy 355 while the intelligence of the variable damping and the engine managment made it drivable at real speeds on real roads.
When the 355 evolved to the 360 it was a step in the right direction in every sense but the increased size. Yet when the 575 replaced the 550 Modificato something went terribly wrong. The standard car was a dynamic embarrasment, set up for those who will pose as they amble down Rodeo drive. Only by ordering the Fiorani handling pack did it feel as a Ferrari should.*
Now Ferrari is readying the 600M. Needless to say, we’ve got our fingers crossed…
*We go into more detail in this piece, originally published over 3 years ago on 11.19.02:
A Tale of Two Suspensions
When ordering your new Ferrari 575M, be sure to specify the Fiorano handling pack, which includes stiffer springs that lower the car by 15mm, a larger rear sway bar, new software to firm up the steering assist and the dampers, and high-performance brake pads (as opposed to?).
With the kit, the 575M placed 2nd of of 20 cars in CAR’s ‘Performance Car of the Year test, and was praised for its:
>chuckable feel
>handling balance
>throttle adjustable drift angle
Without the kit, the 575M placed 15 out of 16 in Autocar’s ‘Best Driver’s Car 2002’ test. The testers were heartbroken, lamenting:
>unsettling amounts of front dive and rear yaw under braking
>poor steering feel
>a corkscrewing motion when exiting corners under power
>a general lack of damping
>soft rear springing
You’d think that the softer car would excel at road use, but Autocar found the 575M “lacked control” at road speeds. They’re not the only ones: evo magazine kept to public roads, and was perplexed to find:
>alarming front-end lift under acceleration
>excessive rear lift under braking
>mushy brakes
They also had trouble with the suspension running out of travel on imperfect (read: most) roads, allowing periodic contact between the front end and the pavement(!). Not so with the Fiorano pack: “On twisting, heaving pavement, the 575M will walk away from the EVO VII or Impreza STi” (also tested and widely considered among the fastest A-to-B devices on real roads) [CAR].
I’m the last person to claim that the firmer of two available suspensions is the default choice – many times the opposite is true. It is therefore essential to drive the suspension you’re about to order; reputation -as this example shows – is not enough. Considering the comission a Ferrari salesperson makes on a sale, he should be more than willing to comply – the question is: will yours?
September 5th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
well, surely reputation does feature…
i mean that Ferrari is more known for its MR layout cars than FR, right?
Or am i wrong?
My point is a lack of experience, as well as any cynical marketing techniques Ferrari may possess