Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE

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What is it?

A Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. Only look a bit closer and you'll see that it's sitting a touch lower, rides on new lightweight split-rim alloy wheels has a few less slats on its front grille (or a mesh one in place, instead), different exhaust pipes and a matte finish on the rear diffuser. If you're super sharp you'll notice the brushed rather than polished finish to the prancing horse badges on the front and back of Ferrari's flagship supercar too. These changes denote that this is a 599 with a HGTE pack fitted. That's 'Handling Gran Turismo Evoluzione' in case you didn't know and it turns the already amazing Ferrari 599 into an even more focussed, even more enjoyable and tuneful machine.

Is it any good?

By Ferrari's typical measure - a lap time around its (and the 599's namesake) Fiorano test track - the 599 equipped with the HGTE pack is quantifiably better than its regular 599 relative. It'll lap around the challenging ribbon of tarmac 0.6 seconds quicker than the standard car, which might not sound much until you consider just how fiercely fast the standard car is. That's thanks to the Enzo-derived 611bhp, 6.0-litre V12 engine under its bonnet; the HGTE pack car's engine is unchanged save for a few economy-enhancing tricks that Ferrari introduced to the 599 earlier this year.

So the 0-62mph time remains the same at 3.7 seconds and travel through certain parts of Germany is possible at over 205mph. Adequate we think you'll agree. The HGTE roars louder though, the sound emanating from the cool perforated exhaust finishers being deeper and more purposeful thanks to revised 'silencers'. The changes that allow the HGTE lap Fiorano those 0.6 seconds quicker though are all focussed on the suspension. The front and rear springs are stiffer, there's a thicker anti-roll bar at the rear and the HGTE car rides 10mm lower. Along with recalibrated electronic stability and traction control systems to get the most benefit from those changes the HGTE feels immediately sharper behind the wheel.

Changes to enhance a cars lap time on a track are usually detrimental to road comfort. The HGTE is certainly firmer riding, but it retains the 599's quite staggering ability to isolate all but the roughest surfaces. The body control is exceptional, Ferrari's clever magnetic dampers controlling the car's movement and giving it remarkable poise. The key area where the changes can be felt is in the 599's steering response, it reacting to input like a car weighing a fraction of its bulk. Turn the chunky wheel and the nose instantly changes trajectory and sticks to your chosen line. What's especially impressive is how this instantaneous response has been achieved without any nervousness or darty behaviour from the front end.

With 611bhp pushing the back wheels the 599's steering is just as easily managed by the accelerator as it is the steering wheel. Set the steering wheel-mounted 'Manettino' dial to your preferred degree of electronic interaction and you can drive the 599 in confidence that, should you get it a bit wrong, input from Michael Schumacher will help sort things out - the multiple F1 champion helped set up the 599's stability and traction control system. In the Manettino's upper settings the 599 HGTE is quite ridiculously enjoyable yet remarkably forgiving, its inherent balance, supreme suspension control and feedback on offer allowing you to drive it at and beyond its limits with real confidence.

Should I call the bank manager?

If you're in the position to be buying £200,000 supercars then it's likely you'll be calling your bank manager for other reasons than car purchases. The HGTE pack is surprisingly inexpensive, Ferrari UK only asking £13,960.51 for it. On a new 599 that includes all the exterior styling changes, as well as an HGTE-specific interior that adds carbon-fibre backed leather and Alcantara covered sports seats and some additional carbon-fibre trim detailing. You can specify the HGTE pack for your existing 599, though you'll not get all the interior trim bits if you do so. For the added sharpness it brings it's well worth considering.

Summary

The HGTE is a harder, more focussed Ferrari 599 that builds on the already lofty ability of the standard car. Its additional focus might not be for everyone, but the compromises the HGTE pack brings in ride comfort are so slight that it does little to detract from the 599's extraordinary grand touring credentials. It's not expensive either, Ferrari UK figuring on around 40-50% of customers taking up the HGTE option on the 599. We can't think of any reason why you wouldn't want it, the deeper, more purposeful noise it brings worth the additional cost alone.

Kyle Fortune