Ferrari Has Finally Brought Back a Manual Transmission—Kind Of
Ferrari hasn’t completely forgotten about enthusiasts. Just one month after the unveiling of the controversial Luce EV, the storied sports car maker is back with its first stick shift in more than a decade—sort of. The new Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale comes with a gearbox that includes both automatic and manual driving modes.
The big story here is the variant’s transmission, the likes of which haven’t been seen in a Prancing Horse since the 2012 California. Despite its name, the latest 12Cilindri doesn’t technically feature a manual gearbox. Instead, it comes with a dual-clutch unit with what Ferrari is calling a “Manuale-by-wire” system that mimics the experience of using a stick shift. There is no physical connection between the setup and the car’s V-12, but it does feature a clutch and a gated shifter with a polished steel nob that the driver can use to row through the first six of the engine’s eight gears.
The new technology, which was developed in-house by Ferrari, is engineered to work like one of the marque’s traditional manuals. As long as the driver starts the car with their foot on the electronic clutch pedal, the 12 Cilindri will operate like any other stick-shift, including the ability to stall. If the driver wants a more comfortable but less engaging drive, they simply need to start the car with their foot on the brake, which opens up access to the mill’s final two gears. The driver can switch to automatic mode at any time while driving.
While the 12Cilindri has a new gearbox, its engine remains the same. The car’s naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12 makes 819 hp, 500 ft lbs of torque, and redlines at 9,500 rpm. Performance between the standard and “manual” versions is the same, which the car able to sprint from zero to 62 mph in 2.9 and topping out at 211 mph. The exterior and interior also remain relatively unchanged, though the center console does feature a redesigned shifter.
Ferrari plans to build just 1,499 examples of the variant—so you’ll need to move quickly if you want to add it to your garage. Pricing starts at 590,000 Euros, which works out to around $674,000.
FAQs
Not technically. It uses an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with Ferrari’s “Manuale-by-wire” system, which recreates the feel of a traditional manual through an electronic clutch pedal and gated shifter.
Starting the car with the clutch pedal engaged activates manual mode, allowing the driver to shift through the first six gears and even stall the engine. Starting with the brake pedal provides access to all eight gears and automatic operation.
Pricing starts at €590,000, or approximately $674,000. Ferrari plans to produce only 1,499 examples of the limited-run model.
This article originally appeared in Robb Report US.