Performance drop for model year 2000 + 550s | FerrariChat
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Performance drop for model year 2000 + 550s

Discussion in '456/550/575' started by hansw, Mar 19, 2005.

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  1. hansw

    hansw Karting

    Mar 12, 2005
    62
    San Diego, CA
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    Hans J Weber
    #1 hansw, Mar 19, 2005
    When the model year 2000 550 was introduced I noticed that its official EPA mileage rating had dropped to 8 mpg city/13 mpg highway from 9 city/15 highway for the pre-2000 550s. When I checked with my mechanic as to what might cause this drop (I was the original owner of a '97 550), he explained that starting with 2000 model year the cars had more restrictive exhaust manifolds due to the installation of pre-cats into the manifolds. Since the rest of the engine design did not change one would expect that such a decrease in fuel economy would result in a decrease in performance.

    Indeed, it did. Checking through my library of test reports I find the following:

    Pre 2000 cars

    0-60 (0-100) mph: Car & Driver in Nov 97: 4.2 (9.8) sec.
    Motor Trend in June '99: 4.2 (9.6) sec.
    Car (Euro car) in Dec '97: 4.3 sec

    0-62 (0-100) mph (62 mph = 100 kph) in European tests:
    Auto Motor & Sport in Dec 96: 4.5 (9.6) sec.


    2000 and later cars

    0-60 (0-100) mph: Road & Track in Jan '02: 4.9 (11.1) sec
    R & T in Jan. '01: 4.7 sec.

    The performance of Euro cars did not decrease. E.g.

    Sport Auto (German) in Aug 2000: 4.5 sec for 0-62 mph
    and 9.4 sec for 0-100 mph.

    Conclusion: The performance penalty paid by 2000 and later model year 550s is about 0.5 sec for 0-60 and 1.5 sec for 0-100 mph.
     
  2. Hunters360

    Hunters360 Formula Junior

    Nov 18, 2004
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    James Wardwell
    #2 Hunters360, Mar 19, 2005
    I believe the same occured on the 360 Modena 1999 cars seem to be quicker than 00-04.. do to the same emmissions changes.
     
  3. W00dEar

    W00dEar F1 Rookie
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    #3 W00dEar, Mar 19, 2005
    difference magazine always have different #'s.
     
  4. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #4 Rifledriver, Mar 19, 2005
    Yea, they snuck those changes in on us and didn't bother to say anything.
     
  5. stephens

    stephens F1 Rookie
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    #5 stephens, Mar 19, 2005
    Wow, good tip, I must check whether us Aussies picked up the US or Euro spec manifolds.
     
  6. speedy_sam

    speedy_sam F1 Veteran

    Jul 13, 2004
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    #6 speedy_sam, Mar 19, 2005
    A naive question follows ...

    Qn: Would the 1999 Modena be measured against the 1999 standards when the annual emissions inspection is done? Meaning the 1999 owner does not need to upgrade to the 2000 specifications to make it legal.
     
  7. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

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    #7 judge4re, Mar 19, 2005
    Did they said anything about it in 1977-1978?

    The more things change, the more they stay the same.
     
  8. Welshman

    Welshman Karting

    Jan 27, 2004
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    Worcestershire
    #8 Welshman, Mar 20, 2005
    Good job mine's a 99 car then!
     
  9. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #9 Rifledriver, Mar 20, 2005

    They've treated us like mushrooms since Bill an Luigi left the scene.
     
  10. Hunters360

    Hunters360 Formula Junior

    Nov 18, 2004
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    James Wardwell
    #10 Hunters360, Mar 20, 2005
    The changes were specifically for importing purposes the US government wanted these changes. The older cars still pass emissions easily
     
  11. hansw

    hansw Karting

    Mar 12, 2005
    62
    San Diego, CA
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    Hans J Weber
    #11 hansw, Mar 20, 2005

    No, because the inspection requirements over the years remain tied to those pertaining to the model year. In other words, inspection requirements of older cars are not as stringent as those for newer cars which were manufactured to meet these more stringent specs.
     
  12. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #12 Rifledriver, Mar 20, 2005

    Not always. This state and a couple of others I have heard of are already requiring cars to pass tests of a different type but also to lower limits than they were designed to pass originally. As yet this has not happened to anything near as new as a 550 but the precedent has been set and no one is fighting it.
     
  13. Cielo

    Cielo Karting

    Feb 3, 2005
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    #13 Cielo, Mar 20, 2005
    See my 0-60 550 thread. You guys almost convinced me it was me.

    What a drag (no pun intended). The best I could do was a 4.8. Makes sense now. But my manual says 4.3. Wouldn't that be fraud if it wasn't true?

    Can the 99 exhaust manifold fit on my 2000? Is that the only difference accounting for the change in performance?
     
  14. stephens

    stephens F1 Rookie
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    #14 stephens, Mar 20, 2005
    Where exactly is the pre cat on the 550? Most Euro cars come equipped with pre cats these days, which are easy to spot as short fat cats mounted straight off the headers, before the main catalytic converters. They are designed to heat up very quickly to meet cold start emissions tests.
     
  15. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

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    #15 judge4re, Mar 20, 2005
    Actually, they are called "close coupled" catalysts and they actually do the majority of the work. The ones you refer to as the "main" catalysts are called underfloor cats (which makes sense for front engine layouts) and function more as clean up work.
     
  16. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #16 Rifledriver, Mar 21, 2005

    I have not had one off a 550 yet but on the 360 it is built into the manifold IN the collector. It is only 22 inches downstream from the port. I can think of little that could be done to a header design that would retard the scavanging effect worse than putting that disruption in the collector. I will look at the parts book tomorrow to see if it is shown on the 550.
     
  17. goldyF355

    goldyF355 Formula 3

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    #17 goldyF355, Jun 24, 2005
    I posted this on the Tech part, but no responses.

    Has anyone figured out a way around this performance robbing situation?

    European exhaust manifolds?..would they be compatible?

    After market manifolds (as in the 355 required parts..)?

    Any ideas?

    Goldy
     
  18. RossoCorsaItaly

    RossoCorsaItaly F1 Rookie
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    Jun 9, 2004
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    #18 RossoCorsaItaly, Jun 24, 2005
    Wow, very interesting information. Can't give any info on wether the euro and u.s. manifolds are swappable but if anyone is interested I can have my guy fab up some manifolds similair to our F355 ones we did.
     

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