Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale sensationally brings the manual gearbox back…with a catch

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Ferrari has revived the clutch pedal and aluminium-gated gear shifter with the new 12Cilindri Manuale, but the reborn “manual” V12 coupe revealed in Maranello does not have a traditional gearbox.

Instead, the limited-edition 12Cilindri uses a new ‘Manuale By-Wire’ system developed entirely in-house by the Prancing Horse.

The Manuale By-Wire system layers a physical clutch pedal with about 14kg of resistance with a physical gear lever on top of the 12Cilindri’s existing eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission — of which the first six gears can be drive manually with clutch and shifter.

That means the naturally aspirated 610kW 6.5-litre V12 engine, eight-speed DCT carry over from the standard car, but the shifting interface has been redesigned to recreate much of the feel, ritual and rhythm of a classic manual.

It might be sleight-of-hand, but drivers are likely to be able to suspend their disbelief. This is a faithful recreation of the look and feel of a real clutch and shifter, with pedal placement that allows heel-toeing. 

Smartly, Ferrari has made it very possible to get it wrong. While the system won’t allow you to money-shift, hasty clutch movements will make the car bunny-hop — and it’ll even stall.

Ferrari says it will build just 1499 examples of the 12Cilindri Manuale, with the first European left-hand drive deliveries due in the first quarter of 2027. All will be coupes.

Every one of the 1499 cars will go through Ferrari’s ‘Tailor Made’ bespoke customisation program, further enhancing their uniqueness and desirability over the regular model.

The number of cars that will end up in Australia has not been disclosed, but a very selected group of Ferrari customers are expected to be offered cars that would be likely to arrive in the third quarter of 2027.

Italian-market pricing for the 12Cilindri Manuale has been set at 590,000 euros, compared with about €400,000 for the regular coupe model.

In Australia, the dual-clutch 12Cilindri costs $803,500 before on-road costs and any options. Expect the Manuale version to attract something like $1.2 million locally.

How Ferrari’s new ‘Manuale’ actually works

The 12Cilindri Manuale keeps Ferrari’s eight-speed F1 dual-clutch transmission but replaces the usual paddle-shift interaction with a physical gear shifter, a real clutch pedal, and new software that translates the driver’s actions into real movement of the dual clutches.

Due to emissions regulations, the Manuale starts up in automatic mode and will shift up and down without input from the driver. There are no paddles on the steering wheel

Pumping the clutch pedal engages manual mode. This lets the driver shift through the first six gears — and reverse — but seventh and eighth are outside the manual gate and using them requires re-entering automatic mode.

The clutch pedal is weighty and realistic, but it is a by-wire system. A sensor reads the driver’s precise pedal position, and sends that information to move the DCT pack, while a passive mechanical system recreates the load-travel curve of a traditional clutch pedal.

Ferrari says the system will behave like a real manual if the driver gets a shift wrong. A well-timed shift is said to feel smooth and precise, but poor synchronisation will cause the expected jolt, and the engine will not be prevented from stalling if you rip off the clutch.

At the same time, software protection has been enabled to physically lock out destructive shifts such as accidentally selecting first or second gear at extreme speeds.

The gear lever itself is a mechanical module with sensors, kinematics, and a realistic gate — and beneath it all is a rotating centre block hewn from high-strength steel that Ferrari says anchors the feel and consistency of the shifter. When not in use, it self-centres. 

An early and static play with the component showed that it does generate load, click and release associated with classic Ferrari manuals, right down to the ‘tac-tac’ sound and metallic ‘ping’ of the lever moving through the milled gate.

Ferrari could have detuned the V12 for a mechanical manual

Emanuele Carando, Ferrari’s global marketing director, told Chasing Cars that the company could have built a slower, less powerful 12Cilindri with a traditional manual gearbox, but that it had decided that would be a retrograde step.

“Why do something which was 20, 30, 50, 60 years old, if you can use the technology in a smarter way in order to combine the best out of the best?” Carando said.

“I think a company like Ferrari does not have to be nostalgic. A company like Ferrari has to pick up the desire of the clients but then give something more.”

Ferrari executives said that overwhelming customer demand for a manual had driven the brand to develop the ‘Manuale By-Wire’ solution—even though some prospective buyers had said they would have accepted reduced power to get the real thing.

Same V12, same theoretical performance (in automatic mode)

The 12Cilindri Manuale uses Ferrari’s front/mid-mounted 6.5L V12 producing 830cv at 9250rpm — equivalent to 610kW of power — and 678Nm of torque at 7250rpm.

Ferrari claims that the same 0-100km/h time of 2.9 seconds achievable in the ‘regular’ variant can still be achieved in the Manuale – because launch control will continue to use the automatic shifting capability for maximum pace.

Drivers can still achieve rapid acceleration in manual mode, but executives acknowledged that self-shifting will never be faster than allowing the dual-clutch system to do the job.

Dry weight is listed at 1565kg with optional content while boot capacity measures 270 litres. Fuel consumption remains homlogated to 15.5L/100km on the WLTC cycle with CO2 emissions of 353g/km. 

Very limited in nature with no series production plan

Ferrari has positioned the Manuale as an extremely limited ‘special series’ vehicle, rather than an ongoing option or new transmission choice for the 12Cilindri range.

Even at a price well north of $1 million, all 1499 units are expected to sell rapidly once they are offered individually to Ferrari’s best customers.

Carando told Chasing Cars that Ferrari is still studying how best to use the Manuale By-Wire concept in future models, but executives acknowledged this short run is unlikely to completely satiate pent-up demand.

Spotters will be able to identify the Manuale by its discreet laser-etched badges, but also by its subtle silver ‘scudetto’ fender shields, five-spoke forged wheels, and uniquely pinstriped front splitter and rear wings.

Buyers offered a Manuale will be able to select from 25 available heritage paint colours — including the launch ‘Rosso Rubino’ hue — while the ‘Tailor Made’ program allows for extensive interior customisation.

In the cabin, there’s no missing the gated shifter at first glance — which has a backlit shift pattern that glows red when in use — while the entire centre console has been subtly redesigned to accommodate the system.

Ferrari 12Cilindri 2026: prices in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

• Coupe: $803,500
• Spider: $886,800
• Coupe Manuale: TBC