Ferrari 575M with Fiorano Handling Pack
Discussion
Right - I think we can safely say that the 575M with the FHP is one of the worlds best cars.
- Top Gear last night
- Car Magazine
- other assorted feedback
A 575M without FHP is lame:
- Evo
- Autocar
It sounds like it's two different cars being talked about here, so the FHP must make a collosal difference.
Anyone else watch Top Gear last night?
- Top Gear last night
- Car Magazine
- other assorted feedback
A 575M without FHP is lame:
- Evo
- Autocar
It sounds like it's two different cars being talked about here, so the FHP must make a collosal difference.
Anyone else watch Top Gear last night?
I don't get it - Why isn't this FHP standard fit????
Who wants a wallowy soft 575??? And you can't say the Americans because I know that they love their 550s ...... (how many people here have tracked them? - I bet only a couple)
Ahh Dazren - a man after my own heart.
>> Edited by manu on Monday 11th November 11:34
Who wants a wallowy soft 575??? And you can't say the Americans because I know that they love their 550s ...... (how many people here have tracked them? - I bet only a couple)
Ahh Dazren - a man after my own heart.
>> Edited by manu on Monday 11th November 11:34
Kev
Can't remember that bit but I stand corrected, as I was tired and watched it late last night on video.
Manu
ref FHP. It comes down to number crunchers. By giving prospective purchasers the choice of style with "comfort" and style with "raw handling", they can sell more cars. It's as simple as that, same go's with the gear box, giving people more options.
DAZ
Can't remember that bit but I stand corrected, as I was tired and watched it late last night on video.
Manu
ref FHP. It comes down to number crunchers. By giving prospective purchasers the choice of style with "comfort" and style with "raw handling", they can sell more cars. It's as simple as that, same go's with the gear box, giving people more options.
DAZ
I'll reserve judgement on this until I've driven the thing. So far you just have the journalists word for it, and it might colour your judgement as to which option you want to live with long term. You may find that the standard handling is just fine for what you want. The most important thing though is that you do have a choice of default suspension settings and gearbox type.
I spoke to Clarkson about this :namedropiconpleaseTed: and he did reckon the FHP made the 575 a startlingly good piece of kit. However, he enjoyed disagreeing with Autocar's verdict re the standard car so much, that I detected a certain amount of bias...
I get the feeling that Clarkson would have given a 575 with fluffy dice and neon headlamp washers 'as tested in Top Gear' a much better review than a standard 575 'as tested in Autocar'. Just so he could be controversial and slag off Autocar to boot.
That said, I'm sure the FHP does improve the beast - just a question of how much, and whether the end result is better than a 550...
I get the feeling that Clarkson would have given a 575 with fluffy dice and neon headlamp washers 'as tested in Top Gear' a much better review than a standard 575 'as tested in Autocar'. Just so he could be controversial and slag off Autocar to boot.
That said, I'm sure the FHP does improve the beast - just a question of how much, and whether the end result is better than a 550...
Actually managed to catch Top Gear last time. First time in ages that the misses couldn't find some other s
t on the TV.
CHRIST: That Aston sounded the dogs bs. Looked pretty fine as well.
It was nice to see the 575M getting a good review. Most of the other articals I've read have given it a bad write up. Like you said Manu - that FHP must make some difference.
I also agree with you Kev regarding the options of having handling pack & F1/Manual or not. I was more than a little suprised to hear the Aston was only supplied with paddle shift - BIG MISTAKE imho!!!
Coming back down to the real world - well for me anyway - the Ford Mondeo did rather well against the much more expensive opposition. That's one in the eye for all the BMW badge snobs
t on the TV. CHRIST: That Aston sounded the dogs b
s. Looked pretty fine as well. It was nice to see the 575M getting a good review. Most of the other articals I've read have given it a bad write up. Like you said Manu - that FHP must make some difference.
I also agree with you Kev regarding the options of having handling pack & F1/Manual or not. I was more than a little suprised to hear the Aston was only supplied with paddle shift - BIG MISTAKE imho!!!
Coming back down to the real world - well for me anyway - the Ford Mondeo did rather well against the much more expensive opposition. That's one in the eye for all the BMW badge snobs
Well, well; the catharsis of a mysterious handling pack, eh?
Or how about the realisation that everyone was just talking borrocks or perhaps jumping on one man's bandwaggon and this is a convenient slip road back on to the highway that leads to Ferrari based favour with future models' reviews?
I wonder? I know that Manu was initially sceptical and my gut reaction was similar - Ferrari just get it SO wrong - all of a sudden? Remember, one or two initial 575M reviews took the line of "Yes - it's even better than the seminal 550 - if that's possible!" It makes you think!
Or how about the realisation that everyone was just talking borrocks or perhaps jumping on one man's bandwaggon and this is a convenient slip road back on to the highway that leads to Ferrari based favour with future models' reviews?
I wonder? I know that Manu was initially sceptical and my gut reaction was similar - Ferrari just get it SO wrong - all of a sudden? Remember, one or two initial 575M reviews took the line of "Yes - it's even better than the seminal 550 - if that's possible!" It makes you think!
Derestrictor - you're right.. I've followed this issue rather closely given that I LOVE 550s...
Well I have a bit more info - all this mega-transforming HANDLING PACK stuff is actually apparently nonsense....
A salesman at a well known Ferrari dealer just told me (within the last hour) that the latest batch of 575M don't have any kind of handling pack AT ALL. They are factory standard - as factory standard as the first batch of 575M.....
The only things that have been changed is that the suspension managament system have been reprogrammed to stiffen and sharpen the car up....the software and electronics have been changed... The early cars had incorrect (read: early ) settings.. it has nothing to do with the FHP... so once again the stock Maranello is one of the best cars in the world - yes even without FHP.
I was told to expect a mini relauch of the 575.. (minus FHP).... what the hell is going on???
Well I have a bit more info - all this mega-transforming HANDLING PACK stuff is actually apparently nonsense....
A salesman at a well known Ferrari dealer just told me (within the last hour) that the latest batch of 575M don't have any kind of handling pack AT ALL. They are factory standard - as factory standard as the first batch of 575M.....
The only things that have been changed is that the suspension managament system have been reprogrammed to stiffen and sharpen the car up....the software and electronics have been changed... The early cars had incorrect (read: early ) settings.. it has nothing to do with the FHP... so once again the stock Maranello is one of the best cars in the world - yes even without FHP.
I was told to expect a mini relauch of the 575.. (minus FHP).... what the hell is going on???
jay_z said: Coming back down to the real world - well for me anyway - the Ford Mondeo did rather well against the much more expensive opposition. That's one in the eye for all the BMW badge snobs
I wasn't at all surprised by this Jay and, ahem, correctly predicted this result (my missus will back me up on this!). It's a bloody good car.
manu said:The only things that have been changed is that the suspension managament system have been reprogrammed to stiffen and sharpen the car up....
This makes sense, a couple of days ago at my dealer I saw a black 575 to which the dealer referred as having the improved suspension.I thought he was talking about the FHP, but noticed the ride height was unaltered, this was weird since the FHP for the 550 reduced ride height significantly.
Another interesting thing: the dealer asked me if I wanted to fit the FHP on my Modena.I thought this option wasn't available for 360s!
Another tricky area, I think unless you set up a car prior to a test I think the handling results are not a true reflection of the cars potential. I know an independent specialist who used to be asked to set up factory demos. Felting the dash board, working the suspension.. Etc..
Most cars just leave the factory and the tracking / suspension setting is not setup perfectly. Somebody once said it was done by eye ???????
The first tests on the 911 GT2 when certainly not favourable, probably because of the suspension setting… some one could have just clipped the kerb and put the geometry out..
Now everyone raves about its road manners. The same could be said of the 360M. Read one set of magazines and they all complain about the inherent understeer, read others and they say it will not understeer. The cars probably had different toe and camber settings..
In the case of the 575M it would be interesting to try one that has been set up correctly, without a handling pack. And then drive another with the pack.. I drove a 550 with a cage and the handling pack and it was very very good… then drove a standard 550 two weeks later and it didn’t feel as nice…
Most cars just leave the factory and the tracking / suspension setting is not setup perfectly. Somebody once said it was done by eye ???????
The first tests on the 911 GT2 when certainly not favourable, probably because of the suspension setting… some one could have just clipped the kerb and put the geometry out..
Now everyone raves about its road manners. The same could be said of the 360M. Read one set of magazines and they all complain about the inherent understeer, read others and they say it will not understeer. The cars probably had different toe and camber settings..
In the case of the 575M it would be interesting to try one that has been set up correctly, without a handling pack. And then drive another with the pack.. I drove a 550 with a cage and the handling pack and it was very very good… then drove a standard 550 two weeks later and it didn’t feel as nice…
manu said: Derestrictor - you're right.. I've followed this issue rather closely given that I LOVE 550s...
Well I have a bit more info - all this mega-transforming HANDLING PACK stuff is actually apparently nonsense....
A salesman at a well known Ferrari dealer just told me (within the last hour) that the latest batch of 575M don't have any kind of handling pack AT ALL. They are factory standard - as factory standard as the first batch of 575M.....
The only things that have been changed is that the suspension managament system have been reprogrammed to stiffen and sharpen the car up....the software and electronics have been changed... The early cars had incorrect (read: early ) settings.. it has nothing to do with the FHP... so once again the stock Maranello is one of the best cars in the world - yes even without FHP.
I was told to expect a mini relauch of the 575.. (minus FHP).... what the hell is going on???
Looks like the standard 575M will have the FHP Management ECU installed as standard. You will not get the lowered hight and brake bads, but apparantly this makes a significant difference.
Apparently there's no recall however.....
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