Fiorano Handling Package on 575M or not?

OK, I must just be use to my cushy Maserati ride, though I remember complaining on the Maserati forum that I thought the seats were too hard for long trips. I received similiar comments that I was wrong and should be called boney butt Bill in the future. Before buying the 575M I watched lots of youtube videos and heard comments like "rides like a Cadillac" (he had to be on drugs) or the suspension is "too soft". I will withhold further opinions til I at least get a couple hundred miles on the car though at my current rate we're talking winter time.

 

My Rosso/Nero 550 with FHP and Fabio's race headers blows me away... as much as the Grigio/Nero non FHP 550 with stock exhaust of a friend. They are both excellent in their respective styles.

In the end ride quality or lackthereof always depends on subjective aspects such as personal preference, road quality and last but not least the mood the driver is in at a specific moment. On a fast track FHP cars may always feel too soft whilst non-FHP cars may always ways feel too harsh on a basic and worn out remote country road.
I love my 550 with FHP but avoid risking it on roads I know it will not be fun on and which wouldn't be fun with any other car either. We can't have our cake and eat it and it's just as well, whilst folks used to more modern cars with many different driving modes may wrongly mistake "character" with a supposed "lack of compliance". Being overly picky on such "old" cars is probably missing the point, IMO.

/Captain Obvious

 

The floaty/soft cars of this era were the 456M and early 575, non-FHP. The early 456GT is a bit tighter (in properly cared for cars) as is the 550. Later 575 improved this as well with the well documented by Taz updated suspension controller.

Apples to apples, you must also factor in the tire as based on my direct experience:

Stiffest > softest
Most Pirelli older than ~3 years in any size > 19in with 200 Treadwear autocross tires (ie RE71rs or similar) > 18in with Continental Extremecontact Sport 2 > 18in Supersports > 19in with Pilot Sport 4S

The Pilot Sport 4S is a remarkably soft and squishy tire. The steering feel is garbage compared to more aggressive 200tread wear tires but very compliant with little NVH issues.

I am such a strong advocate for FHP that I have spent well over 20k to make my 456M have as close to an OEM FHP setup as technically feasible given the platform differences.