Ferrari Revives Manual Gearbox With Limited-Edition 12Cilindri Supercar

For car enthusiasts there is no sound quite like the metallic *snick-snick* of an old-school Ferrari gate-style manual shifter. It’s been almost 14 years since Ferrari has produced a car with a third pedal, but the company is finally bringing it back, but with a big digital twist.

The new Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale combines a howling 830-hp naturally aspirated V12 engine with a stick shift and a clutch pedal.

But there’s a catch that has the motoring world abuzz: it’s not a normal manual. "Ferrari has created a brilliant and highly sophisticated illusion instead.

 How the "Manuale By-Wire" System Functions

Beneath the stunning bodywork, this limited-edition car doesn’t actually have a mechanical gearbox connected to the shifter. The regular car also gets the same 8-speed automatic dual-clutch gearbox (DCT).

To bring back the physical soul of driving, Ferrari developed a “by-wire” system from scratch:

The Fake Shifter & Clutch No mechanical linkages or cables connect your hand and foot to the gearbox. When you push the clutch pedal or slide the lever into the old-school metal gates, you’re actually engaging super-precise digital sensors.
Weight Recreated: Ferrari didn't simply put a joystick in the centre console. Weight Recreated: Ferrari didn't simply put a joystick in the centre console. The shifter block is machined out of solid steel and utilises special rollers to perfectly replicate the exact resistance, friction and notchiness of their legendary vintage gearboxes. The shifter block is machined out of solid steel and utilises special rollers to perfectly replicate the exact resistance, friction and notchiness of their legendary vintage gearboxes.
The Feedback Loop The clutch pedal is fitted with a custom spring and cam system that mimics the exact physical “bite point” you would experience in a real mechanical clutch. If you don't press the clutch, the shifter gate is literally locked, and you can't change gears.

The Best of Both Worlds?”

The software keeps everything synchronised so you have the absolute pure theatre of a manual with none of the modern compromises.

You are capable of flawless heel and toe downshifting, rev-matching and hearing the engine scream to its redline of 9,500 rpm, even dumping the clutch to make the tyres chirp. If you lose your coordination, the car will even stall to maintain the illusion.

But it has self-defence because it is software-driven. The computer will lock the lever down immediately to save the engine so you can’t accidentally execute a devastating “money shift” (shifting into second gear at high speeds). And if you ever find yourself stuck in miserable, bumper-to-bumper traffic, you can just leave it in automatic and let the dual-clutch do all the heavy lifting.

The Cost of Nostalgia: Ferrari is limiting the production of the 12 Cilindri Manuale to a paltry 1,499 units globally. What you lose in the paddle shifters on the steering wheel, you get in this high-tech digital gearbox command. But the price isn’t cheap: you’ll pay a hefty 50% price premium over the standard version, which brings the price tag to about $640,000