Ferrari engineered every sensation of a manual transmission into a car that doesn’t actually have one.
Ferrari just did something it hasn’t done since 2012: put a manual transmission back in a V12 car. The 12Cilindri Manuale pairs the naturally aspirated 6.5 liter V12, good for 830 hp and a 9,500 rpm redline, with a new six speed gated shifter and clutch pedal. It’s the spiritual successor to the 599 GTB Fiorano, and the first car with a stick since Maranello moved on from manuals over a decade ago.
Here’s the twist. There’s no physical connection between the shifter and the transmission. Ferrari calls it Manuale by Wire, and it works by translating driver input, clutch pressure, gear position, throttle blip, into electronic signals that command the underlying eight speed dual clutch gearbox. Push the clutch in below 62 mph and you’re in manual mode, working through the first six gears in a classic H pattern. Need seventh or eighth? Hit D and the car hands control back to the automatic.
Ferrari engineered the system to replicate the mechanical feel of a real manual, down to the resistance in the shift gate and the metallic clink as the lever moves between gears. A dedicated sensor module recreates the load of synchronization, engagement, and disengagement at every shift, and the clutch pedal itself uses a position sensor to manage takeup and release. Get it right and Ferrari says acceleration is nearly identical to the standard dual clutch car. Get it wrong, and you can stall an 830 hp V12 or dump the clutch at 9,500 rpm if you’re feeling brave.
Beyond the drivetrain, the 12Cilindri Manuale carries design cues pulled straight from Ferrari’s GT heritage: a round aluminum shift knob, backlit gate screen printing, and a redesigned center tunnel built around the new three pedal layout. Active aerodynamics and Ferrari’s SSC 8.0 stability control, paired with a 6D sensor and PCV 3.0, round out the chassis side. Tailor Made options include laser etched side badges, pinstripes inspired by the 365 GTB4, dedicated colors, forged wheels, and bespoke interior trim in leather and Alcantara.
Production will be limited to 1,499 units, with pricing starting around $675,000. For a brand that just introduced its first EV, the Luce, this is Ferrari reminding everyone it still knows how to build something purely mechanical, or at least something that feels that way.
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