550/575 Wanted

because its a GT car!!

 

Even the wanted ad is a bit generous

 

Too heavy for a track car.
But prodrive showed what can be done with them.

Better than a 928 gts , which was agreat car.

Great to drive sydney to Melbourne .
The FHP makes an incredible difference , espescially in the braking and turn in.

 

Yeah I know it hurts but it's like a bad haircut .


It will be better in a week.

 

I might have to lower my offer of $140k in the wanted ad. Sellers probably think its a scam

 

Nah just offer to pay with paypal , you'll be right.

 

They're too heavy for a sports car.....which is fine, of course, because they're not one.

They're a fantastic high speed cross country tourer though, even though the seats are a bit shyte.

 

Grand Tourer.

 

yep....and as useful as tits on a bull, and just as much fun.

 

Great fun .
Especially saying goodbye to the slow coaches in their smoky old eight bangers.

 

Yes even around corners. And no you don't know because you have no seat time in a FHP or HGTC.

 

maybe when i'm 100 years old like you must be, i'll want to drive one!

probably not, though.

 

Thankyou old man.

I will be there waiting for you when you get there.

 

lol......something for both of us to look forward to

 

I agree that the standard 575 is an uninspiring handling car. How they managed to get the worst possible combination of soggy springs but harsh ride is quite beyond me. It felt like an 80's Corvette - maybe that was what they were aiming for!

I was amazed by the difference the HGTC springs made, what was before a lurch, roll then understeer turn in is now flat and grippy. It's a really "pointy" car with a communicative rear end (rear springs now the same as a 550). Also the ride is so much better.

I bought this car as an "in-betweener" but now I struggle to think what I'd replace it with.

If only PP hadn't stolen the toolkit torch when he had it...

 

The expert speaks again.



Spencer Martin took FTD in a 575HGTC at an FCA track day at Oran Park. 2nd last time we were there, before the track was turned into a housing estate



He does know a bit about driving of course and PSW wasn't there

 

So now it's got to have Spencer driving to be any good .............. very limiting factor as I didn't see any of them near my 3.5 litre V8 at EC and I'm no track god as you keep pointing out

 

^^^this....I never saw one get anywhere near the 355 times (not just my 355), even at PI, which is a circuit that LOVES power.

Anyway....there's nothing wrong with that. They're not a track car. They're a point and squirt car with seats not up to what they should be. The good thing about them is that because they're so ordinary looking, they blend nicely into the crowd.

Of course, if you want fun and excitement, you buy a mid engine car. Simples!

 

Fiorano laptimes, from elsewhere on fchat:

16. Ferrari 575 Maranello 1:31.51 119 '02 515 / 1760
17. Ferrari 550 Maranello 1:32.53 118 '96 486 / 1690
18. Ferrari F355 1:34.00 116 '95 380 / 1350

 

believe what you like.

if you think a 575 is faster on a track than an F40, then you're delusional!!

You hated these cars until you bought one...funny about that.

 

ooppss...never mind...F40 was faster, but by only 2 seconds. Think about it....an F40 is much faster than that, relatively.

 

Fiorano lap records - FastestLaps.com

 

I'm sure Ferrari pull every trick out of their bag to show the best times - buffed tyres, minimum fuel load, etc. Maybe they were more honest in F40 days, but I daresay tyre technology would be a significant differentiator.

I've said many times, I bought the 575 just to have an F car while I worked out what I would do next, but the car has grown on me more than I expected.

I don't know why you have such a bee in your bonnet about this topic, given your eclectic taste - you've had one of the very best Ferraris (F40) through to the most humble (308GT4) and know well that they all have their good points.

 

612 faster than a 360,575,550,355. Hmmmm

 

I'm a troublemaking MF...that's why

Incidentally, there have been changes to the track in layout AND surface which sadly makes many of the comparisons irrelevant ....apart from if the lap times are at around the same period of time. AND...it really is a power circuit, it seems.