360 to 575M?

I am considering moving from a 360 to 575, both F1. I understand the basic differences, and realize that I have to make up my own mind as to whether I am willing to give up having a convertible (unfortunately a Superamerica is not in the cards), but could anyone else who made this move who give me their impressions and whether they would do it again? Any big difference in maintenance costs?

 

It’s not your question, but I have a 430 spider and a 575, both manual. The 575 has cost me a bit more, but then the 430 is cheaper to maintain than a 360 due to the belts, age and so on. I don’t think there is a big inherent difference in costs but people may correct me. I think a lot is down to the specific car you buy.

Very different cars to drive, very different experiences, same with 360 and 575 for sure.

 

I agree with Themaven. Very different cars to drive. I went from a 550 to a F430. You may the miss mid engine handling and drama. I personally prefer mid engine. That said, the Maranellos are fantastic and are a blast. Get an exhaust to let that V12 sing!

 

The torque and engine characteristics are very different. The V12's are more of a relaxed cruiser with a wall of power off idle. I prefer the V12s myself but that's because it suits my driving style more.

 

Odds of getting comments from someone who moved from a 360 to a 575M are slim. Maybe someone similar to Darius, who owned both at the same time, but not good even then. You might want to rethink your question. Collectively, there is a lot of 575M knowledge on this site.

 

They are indeed very different cars - so generally speaking, they may not appeal to the same people as they satisfy different tastes.
A 360 shows more agility and will be considered more dramatic because of the rear-mid engine layout, while the 575 has comparatively huge power (the difference exceeds the max power gap, with far more torque the 575 has a lot more power in all conditions); the V12 is also something special compared to a 5-valve V8 (I guess one could also say that the other way round...)

 

I swapped the F430 for the 550 and honestly couldn't be happier. I owned a 1999 360 a few year back as well. If you want the weekend canyon carver where you jump in and drive the nuts off of it the mid engine cars are more agile and responsive. I found the F430 a bit too high strung for city driving and always pushed me to speed. The 575 will have a TON more power than the 360 and its delivered in a much different way. The styling is more subdued in the front engine cars and the more you drive them the more you will love it. If you want a classy car to take on a spirited drive then go for dinner with your wife the 550/575 are hard to beat. They are so comfortable compared to the 360/430's. It is really hard to describe the difference, when you press the V12 hard they are absolute beasts but don't need the RPM to achieve the speed. Need to finesse them a bit more, but the torque makes driving them around town a breeze and less tiring

 

The 575M is a GT car, not a sports car, think of it more along the lines of a Bentley GT3-R/Supersports, Aston DB or Mercedes SL65. There is a good amount of power with smooth delivery, soft suspension, not a lot of grip from the tires, adequate brakes and the cabin is quiet. The car begs for thousand+ mile road trips. . . not track use.

I ignored the attributes of the 575M as I've always wanted a 550/575M, but coming from sports cars (Viper, GT3, Elise, 911 Turbo, etc.) it required me to spend some time transforming the car to have more of an athletic demeanor. This involved dropping over 100lbs off the car, complete new valved exhaust, coilover suspension, light wheels, wide & sticky tires, more aggressive brake pads and corner-balancing. The 575M now makes that V12 noise when I want to hear it, is truly enjoyable in the twisties, significantly quicker and still the most comfortable car I've ever owned by a large margin.

 

If you want to see what a beast the 575 can be watch some of Nicks videos

 

These comments have all been very helpful. I had also been pondering a 612 but it sounds like a 550/575 might hit the sweet spot for me.

 

I have both a 575 and a 612 OTO HGT2.
I suggest you try the 612 before you commit.

 

How can I find them? Thanks in advance.

 

a good 612 is probably nicer to drive than a good 575. And more practical. 575 is cooler, though.

 

your car sounds like a beast!

but I would disagree that the 575 is like a Bentley Conti SS, Aston DB or SL65. The Bentley and Mercedes are much softer and more comfort oriented. Push them and they squeal. The Ferrari is a thoroughbred and behaves like a Ferrari at the limit. Most Astons get ragged at the limit even though they are harder.

I also wouldn’t put a 911 Turbo and GT3 in the same bracket, remotely. Very different types of car. Or an Elise and a 911 Turbo!

 

I disagree. When pushed in stock form, the 575 couldn't muster the same speeds on certain roads as the SS (and GT3-R), DB11 or SL65. Narrow tires had no chance at controlling the weight at the front in the turns or the power at the rear. The suspension wafted terribly with front to rear transitions (side-to-side transitions were greatly reduced in sport mode, but not what I would expect from Ferrari). A standard 575M with 3 pedals and power mods would make for a great car for drifting with how easy it is to upset. HGTC cars seem to address many of the suspension, tire, brake and exhaust related issues of the standard cars.

The cars I listed are those in my garage, not of the same bracket of car, yet they are all considered sports cars.

 

Agreed as sad as it is to say lol a Bentley GTC would be hard to keep up to on a winding road in my 550 for sure.

 

I think we have different definitions of sports cars, and also you are comparing a 1990s/early 2000s car to cars made now. A 2020 Audi S6 will outgrip my 575, that doesn’t make it a sports car or a super GT. it reminds me of those American magazines which define handling by skidpan g force. 1.01 is a better car than a .99 or whatever. There’s a lot more to it in my definition. Some sublime handling cars aren’t fast round a track - 968 CS, E30 M3, Dino.

FHP and HGTC do firm things up but they still wouldn’t keep up with a Bentley Flying Spur let alone a Conti. But the Spur is no sports car and the Ferrari is. DB11 is a pretty raggedy soft thing when you push it, lovely car though otherwise.

 

Regarding the Bentley, I've been referring to the SS (Continental SuperSports), which can be tossed around unlike the other models and had the same idea as 575 (big body, 12 cyl, 2 seats).
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15128684/2010-bentley-continental-supersports-instrumented-test/

DB11 & SL65 are the same equation as 575M: heavy, V12, comfortable, silent, small tires, designed for long trips not carving canyons. Model year has nothing to do with it (could backdate to DB7) and the 65 has been around since '05. All quick in a straight line, but put a bend in the road and they get all floaty and vague responses to steering input compared to sports cars (i.e. MR Ferrari, Viper, 911, etc.). The standard 575M suspension allows the nose to dive under braking & tail squat like an 80's Buick depending on what pedal is being pressed.

 

Nick- Way too general a statement on 575M handling. Yours was the earliest US 575M with the worst Shock Absorber ECU, so not the same as later versions or earlier ones with FHP. 575M handling was upgraded throughout production, including wider tires.

 

Nick, while I would not wish to denigrate your fine stable, I think you had a poor example of a 575 if you’re comparing it to a 80s Buick!

A 575 with FHP is a tightly controlled car, and no comparison to a 05 SL65 let alone a Buick. Not the compliance in dealing with mid corner lumps that the newer V12s have, but that’s technology.

The early SL 65s would fishtail trying to get their power down on dry straight roads. Later ones are fast and easy like many Germans. Black Series was better. I like Conti GTs, particularly the V8 models, but these are not the same kind of car as any V12 two seat Ferrari. The the SSs were kind of lipstick on a pig in terms of getting a 2.3 tonne AWD car with massive weight over the nose to handle. Fun in their own way and beautiful cruisers. Day to day I would drive a Conti GT V8 S more than my 575 and have a hoot. But the 575 is a sports car.

the big V12 Astons never quite got the driving purity right, push them and they fall apart a bit, where Ferraris just handle. Vantage S V12 was fun, shorter wheelbase, lighter, still not brilliant but exciting.

I love many of the other non Ferrari cars in this list. I have reviewed probably every new model from every sports/luxury/supercar manufacturer since 2000. I drive a 6.2 V8 AMG C class wagon as a DD and own a few Ferraris and others. Ferrari has a purity, in the Maranellos. That doesn’t mean a X5M couldn’t whup it round a track or curves, that’s not what sports car means.

 

This has been an extremely enlightening conversation.

Thoughts about this car?

https://washington.ferraridealers.com/en_us/search-used-ferrari/2004/ferrari/575m_maranello/2004_ferrari_575m_maranello-ferrari_of_washington-ZFFBV55AX40136927

It's Assy No. 54341. 20K miles It looks like a good driving-quality car. Some stickies but not too bad yet. Bubbling on the airbag cover but leather otherwise looks good. Paint overall looks good, shows the expected minor blemishes except for one major scrape. No shields. As a late-in-the-production-run car, it should have better handling right (albeit not like the mid-engine cars)?

 

Looks good to me!
Mine is Assy. No. 52781and handles very well- no bobbing and weaving.
Love the interior!

 

looks like a nice one. If you get the Approved warranty with that, it looks like a great buy. Lovely colour combo. I couldn’t make sense of the options it has (“rear wheel drive”?), does it have FHP? Either way a very nice looking late car. Looks like an aftermarket rear shelf? A nice one though in the white contrasting stitching leather of the seats, it looks better than the OEM shelf in mine.

 

My Ferrari tech said that it is completely normal (there is always a 550/575 in his shop). The stiff sway bar orientation and magnetic ride reduce roll from side to side, but not fore/aft (again, FHP/HGTC may have remedied this & aftermarket coilovers definitely remedy it). He took me on a spirited drive to explain and show the characteristics.

Car and Driver shares the same sentiments as I. Below is a link to the article, but here are some excerpts:

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15135548/ferrari-575m-maranello-f1-road-test/

 

Note that road test car was an early 2002 car.
The later cars were much improved.
By the way, the right paddle shifts up, not down.