Fourteen years have passed since the last Ferrari with a proper manual transmission rolled off the factory floor. Today, nothing really has changed, despite how hard the 2027 Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale tries to convince you otherwise.
But you have to admit, the tech is pretty cool.
In a move that anyone with half a brain could interpret as a distraction from the Luce, Ferrari has brought back its signature gated manual shifter, and even added a clutch pedal, to the new-for-2027 12Cilindri Manuale. Here's the kicker: it doesn't actually have a manual transmission.
Instead, think of it as a more engaging manual mode. The 12Cilindri Manuale retains the standard car's eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, but comes with a shift lever and Ferrari's signature H-pattern shift plate on the centre console, a clutch pedal, and a series of software tweaks including a new feature called 'Manuale by Wire'.
Pushing in the clutch pedal below 100 km/h activates the car's manual shift mode. Like an older Ferrari with a gated shifter, reverse is to the far-left and up, and first gear is the next gate over. Manuale mode allows you to rip through the first six gears; pressing the 'D' button just behind the gated shifter puts the car back in automatic mode.
Even though there's no physical connection to the transmission, Ferrari says the 12Cilindri Manuale's feedback and tactility is convincing. The clutch and shifter are weighted, you can rev out the 6.5-litre V12 and dump the clutch, and you can stall it.
Pretty much the only thing you can't do is money-shift the 12Cilindri Manuale; Ferrari says a solenoid within the shift mechanism will prevent the shifter from moving into an "inappropriate" gear. Clever stuff.
Ferrari will build 1,499 copies of the 2027 12Cilindri Manuale; pricing and exact availability have yet to be announced, but you can probably count on two things: the 12Cilindri Manuale will easily be a seven-figure car by the time they start transacting here in Canada, and you probably have to own a Luce first.