The introduction of fast lines showed the age of the E.444. It was therefore commissioned a program to upgrade all units to a new standard. That stator groups and the braking system were adapted for high speed service, while later it was also decided to update the driving cabin, which had been always noisy at high speed. A new, profiled frontal was thus adopted, together with a pearl grey-red livery. The modified units (for a total of 97) were re-christened E.444R ("R" standing for "riqualificazione", meaning "re-qualification", but also known as "Ribollita" among personnel, meaning something like "Reheated soup").