- Ferrari is considering the return of the manual transmission, the brand’s chief product development officer told Australian magazine Carsales.
- The three-pedal setup wouldn’t be coming back for regular production models, though, but rather on the ultra-limited Icona cars.
- As things stand now, it’s been more than a decade since the Prancing Horse has used a manual transmission.
Modern performance cars are reaching a crescendo. Let’s face it: The likes of Max Verstappen and Alex Palou can do more in a car while having an afternoon snooze than the rest of us while at our most focused. So, what’s the point in spending every bit of spare cash you’ve got on a weekend car or a track car if not to wring out every bit of performance it has to offer? We’d wager it’s more about the feeling a car gives you than ultimate lap time. Re-enter the manual gearbox. For years, Ferrari has spurned the three-pedal setup, going so far as to remove the manual gearbox in 2012 in the name of outright performance. But now, Ferrari’s chief product development boss, Gianmaria Fulgenzi, says the manual gearbox could make a return, telling Australian magazine Carsales, “We are reaching the limit of performance in our cars.”RM Sotheby’sMore importantly than reaching the performance limit of the cars, the sports cars of the modern era are pushing the performance limits of their drivers. “For a normal driver, you have to physically support yourself for this kind of acceleration, and in terms of muscles and bones in your neck, it’s not easy for long [periods of] time,” Fulgenzi told Carsales, adding that drivers would need to perform F1-style training to endure the g-forces for extended periods. “I don’t think all our customers want to have to train every morning just to drive our cars.” With that in mind, Fulgenzi says Ferrari is prepared to consider a return of the manual transmission, just not in its production models. Instead, expect to see the third pedal find its way into Ferrari’s next Icona models. FerrariAccording to Fulgenzi, Ferrari would have to artificially limit the engine’s power, otherwise, customers would need a “very big leg” to operate the heavy clutch. Fulgenzi also confirmed that customers are already putting in requests for the Prancing Horse to revive the gated manual. In addition to the rest of Ferrari’s clientele, newly minted Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has expressed his hope for a revived F40, ideally rebranded as the F44 to represent his racing number. Given that the latest Icona model, the Ferrari Daytona SP3, debuted in 2023, the next in the series likely isn’t too far away. Maybe it’ll even feature Ferrari’s iconic gated manual gearbox. Related StoriesJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
Source: caranddriver.com
