If you thought the days of Ferraris with manual gearboxes were over, the limited-edition 12Cilindri Manuale will make you think again.
Perhaps stung by the overwhelmingly negative reaction to its fully electric Luce SUV, Ferrari has revealed the 12Cilindri Manuale as an intriguing tribute to generations of cars fitted with an open-gate manual transmission.
With the 12Cilindri already acting as a modern tribute to the iconic Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’, and boasting an 830hp naturally aspirated V12, it seems the most appropriate current model for a stick shift.
However, things are not quite as they seem in the 12Cilindri Manuale. Although the car has a clutch pedal and a polished gear lever inside a classic H-pattern gate, neither is physically connected to the gearbox.
A thoroughly modern manual
Instead, the Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale makes use of the Italian marque’s new Manuale by-wire system.
This uses the gear shifter and clutch pedal to operate the standard eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, with both acting as switches and sensors to instruct the gearbox what to do.
Drivers of the 12Cilindri Manuale can choose to shift through six ratios themselves, or leave the automatic transmission to shuffle the full set of eight.
The top of the solid anodised aluminium lever is illuminated with LEDs. These turn orange when in manual mode, then return to white when the gearbox is left to its own devices.
Although the clutch pedal has no mechanical connection, Ferrari has ensured it retains the heft you’d expect in a V12 grand tourer.
Multiple position sensors mean the driver needs to gradually balance the clutch, just as in a real manual car. This even extends to stalling the engine if you don’t use the third pedal properly.
Remembering how to heel-and-toe
Ferrari notes that the 12Cilindri Manuale will not automatically blip the throttle on downshifts in manual mode. Time for enthusiasts to dust off their driving shoes and start practising their heel-and-toe technique, then…
Being connected to an eight-speed automatic also means 12Cilindri Manuale can be cleverer than a traditional stick-shift gearbox. It will prevent the ‘wrong’ gear from being selected if doing so would damage the engine.
Just 1,499 examples of the 12Cilindri Manuale will be built, with all cars heading through Ferrari’s bespoke Tailor Made programme.
Each has exclusive laser-edged logos on the side badges, while the front splitter and rear wings feature a pinstripe design that pays homage to the Ferrari 365 GTB/4.
A retro driving experience does come at a cost, however. The Manuale option is likely to add around £160,000 to the 12Cilindri’s not-substantial price tag of £340,000.
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