New Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale: a manual V12 to make purists purr with delight
The long-awaited return of a V12 Ferrari with a manual gearbox is here, but it’s not quite that simple
Ferrari has revealed details of a new variant of the 12Cilindri supercar and it’s fitted with a six-speed manual transmission – in a manner of speaking. The new special-edition Ferrari 12Cilidri Manaule will be built through the ‘Tailor Made’ program and limited to 1,499 units.
The key difference between this new Manuale and a regular 12Cilindri concerns the transmission, which is a new interpretation of a manual gearbox designed from scratch by Ferrari. Essentially, the gearbox mounted on the rear axle is the same eight-speed dual-clutch transmission fitted to the standard car, but it comes with a new set of tactile components that use by-wire technology to recreate the action of a six-speed manual.
Between the seats a gearstick is mounted into a steel module with an open six-speed gate. There’s also a clutch pedal, but neither of these elements is physically connected to the gearbox or clutch. Instead, their actions recreate the sensations of a traditional manual transmission.
On start-up, the transmission defaults to its usual automatic mode, operated by reverse, neutral and drive buttons on the centre console. When the clutch pedal is depressed, however, the car switches into manual mode, as signified by the amber glow of the gate on top of the aluminium gearknob.
The Manuale system works on the first six gears of the DCT’s eight, plus reverse, so it’ll be best to default back to automatic on motorways to access the two highest gears. Ferrari also says that despite being computer-controlled, the car will still let you stall the engine or fluff a gearchange. Ferrari’s even gone to the effort of mimicking a bite point for the clutch travel.
There’s no auto-blip function, plus Ferrari has removed the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. While the system will let you be clumsy, there’s a lock-out mechanism to avoid any risk of selecting a gear that’s too low; and at any point the driver can switch back to auto mode by pressing the ‘D’ button.
No changes have been made to the gear ratios, and the engine mapping is also identical to that of the base car, where it produces a hefty 818bhp and revs out to 9,500rpm. Performance is rated at three seconds from 0-62mph, and the top speed is pegged at 210mph.
There’s also a few bespoke styling elements to go alongside the new gearbox, including a laser-etched Manuale badge on the front wings, plus silver Ferrari badges and a unique design of five-spoke forged wheel. Look really closely and you’ll also see fine pinstripes mounted on the black strip across the nose and on the active rear winglets – these recall the iconic 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ that inspired the 12Cilindri’s overall design.
Other than the inclusion of a gearstick and clutch pedal, the cabin is also largely the same as before, although the Tailor Made program’s wider colour and trim palette will be available.
All this technology doesn’t come cheap, though, because Ferrari will charge you around 190,000 Euros (£163,000) for the privilege of changing gears yourself. UK pricing is still to be confirmed, but that figure isn’t paying for a new, bespoke six-speed manual transmission, only elements that control the previous one.
Still, after a period of conjecture about the controversial all-electric Luce, the 12Cilindri Manuale is a refreshing reminder that the company isn’t turning its back on the past. And with a bit of manipulation from the electric motors, we’re sure this type of system could be applied to BEVs in future too – something that we know Ferrari isn’t the only brand developing.
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