But bludgeoned it was, partly due to the clonky paddle-shift transmission on our test car but mainly due to limp damping that proved unable to keep the Maranello's proud nose off the tarmac. The roads in north Wales are a stern test, that's why we use them, but for the 575 to be left so vulnerable by its damping when driven hard was unforgivable.

So, why are we driving another 575M? Well, amongst the juicy 'Carrozzeria Scaglietti' options list for the 575 is a Fiorano handling pack. Aimed at press-on road drivers and occasional trackday goers, it comprises 15mm lower and stiffer springs, together with software changes to the ECUs controlling the dampers and steering. Red brake callipers and harder pads complete the upgrade. So when we discovered Ferrari UK's latest demo car was fitted with the ΂£2115 option, we had to put it to the test.

Naturally, after weeks of mild, dry weather, on the day we choose to collect the 575 from Ferrari UK's Surrey HQ, torrential rain and high winds are lashing the roads. Not ideal conditions to stretch the legs of a ΂£163,000, 508bhp, 202mph supercar, least of all photograph one, but unfortunately beggars can't be choosers.

With gritted teeth we splash our way to some nearby roads I know well from my youth. With so much rain it's futile trying to gauge any increase in roadholding the Fiorano pack may yield, but there's a long straight peppered with some tricky bumps and dips that would surely have bloodied the original 575's nose. Hardly scientific, but it's a fundamental test the 575 needs to pass.

The first run is a bit weak, as I've eased off and scrunched my eyes in early preparation for the inevitable scraping and scraunching. It doesn't materialise, so I embark on another, more committed pass. I can't stop flinching as we approach the undulations, but again the 575 keeps its nose off the road. Granted it still feels heavy on its springs (1730kg is a lot of weight to keep in check), but there's a new tautness and composure to the previously saggy 575.

There's also less dive and squat under hard braking and acceleration. Thankfully then, it's safe to conclude that despite harming low-speed ride quality, which is now aggressive and uncompromising, the Fiorano pack puts the evoness back into the 575M. Better still, we've learned that the factory has responded to criticism of the standard 575's damping voiced in the pages of evo and Autocar, and has made changes to the electronic damping software in an effort to beef-up the body control without harming the low-speed comfort. When Ferrari UK gets one of these cars, we'll put it through its paces.

But I digress. Back to the Fiorano-equipped car. Although there's been no word on improvements to the transmission, this particular test car's paddle-shift gearbox feels significantly sweeter than that of the car we group- tested. In Sport mode the downshifts are cleaner, with punchier throttle-blips to better match road and engine speed. The overall refinement and smoothness of the upshifts is also better. Although I still prefer the ultimate control and satisfaction of a well-steered gearlever, I'll admit a decent paddle-shift transmission is an appealing alternative.

While we're talking transmission, I have to confess to discovering a low-speed manoeuvring/hill-start mode that all-but eliminates the jerky, kangaroo getaways and clutch-singeing uphill reversing that can dog such semi-auto systems. All you do is engage 1st or reverse gear and then pull back once on the downshift paddle. A beep and a '- -' symbol on the dash indicate that the mode is engaged, then when the sensors detect the car's speed is sufficiently high that the low-speed manoeuvre has been completed, normal service is resumed. It's not a new development, apparently, we've just not been aware of it. Still, as none of you Ferrari/Maserati owners out there have put us right, I'd guess we're not the only ones in the dark.

Heartened by the improved damping and transmission it's easier to concentrate on enjoying the 575M. It might sound like I'm stating the bleeding obvious, but it really is an astonishingly fast car. Savagely fast in fact, with such instant, overwhelming reserves of power and torque that in wet conditions you have to summon considerable courage to give it the beans in second or even third gear. A word of advice: if you ever get the chance to drive one and it's wet, stay well clear of the Sport button, for in conjunction with faster gearshifts it ups the threshold of the traction and stability control to a mouth-parching degree. With Sport engaged and the traction control resolutely on, you can still encounter significant wheelspin in third gear, enough to require half a turn of opposite lock in a straight line. Magnificent fun, if a little hair-raising.

To be honest, we need more time in the car, in better weather and on 'those' Welsh roads to decide whether the Fiorano handling pack restores Ferrari's flagship to five-star status. For now it earns the 575 a half-star improvement, but more importantly rewards the mighty Maranello with a place in evo's Car of the Year contest. Guess where we're going...