After 13 years without a manual transmission in the model range, Ferrari is considering giving the technology a comeback. Customers are demanding it, says the development manager.
Development manager at the Maranello factory Gianmaria Fulgenzi points to the Icona series after customer pressure and rumors about Lewis Hamilton's desire for a reborn Ferrari F40
Ferrari is considering a comeback for the manual transmission, after a 13-year hiatus for the iconic car brand. Product development manager Gianmaria Fulgenzi has opened up about the possibility in a new interview.
It is especially Ferrari's most dedicated customers who are asking for the manual transmission again. They want the more involving driving experience back.
A possible return to manual transmission will likely be in a limited series. Fulgenzi points to the exclusive Icona series. Cars in that series are only produced in very limited numbers. For example, there are only 499 examples of the open Ferrari SP2.
If Ferrari changes its mind, it will mean that manual transmission is still reserved for the select few who can afford what the brand can offer in the special Tailor Made department.
Previous Icona models like the Monza SP1, SP2 and Daytona SP3 all had automatic transmissions. A manual successor will be a completely different way to drive, all things being equal.
Lewis Hamilton dreams of a revived Ferrari F40
The last Ferrari with three pedals and a manual transmission was the California model. Production of that model stopped back in 2012.
Since then, Ferrari's entire model range has switched to dual-clutch gearboxes. This has provided faster gear changes but removed an element of connection between owner and car.
The pressure doesn't just come from customers. Rumor has it that seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton wants his new employer to make a successor to the F40 model. And with a manual transmission.
The car could be named F44, a tribute to Hamilton's Formula 1 race number.
Ferrari, the V12 engine and the future
However, there are technical challenges associated with a comeback to the three-pedal technique. Especially for Ferrari's powerful V12 engines. Gianmaria Fulgenzi points out the high torque.
A V12 engine with over 700Nm requires a very robust clutch. This can make the clutch pedal difficult for the driver to operate. Ferrari may have to limit the engine's torque in a manual model to make the car live with it.
A manual Ferrari in the Icona series is likely to be extremely expensive. The latest Icona model, the Daytona SP3, cost around 24 million Danish kroner. And yet it sold out immediately.
A new model with a unique, newly developed manual gearbox could be even more expensive. This would place the car in a price range reserved for very few collectors.
The consideration of a manual transmission comes at a time when Ferrari is enjoying great success. The brand set a sales record last year. The Maranello factory has enough orders to keep production running until 2026.
At the same time, Ferrari is launching its first electric car this year. It is a historic step for the Italian luxury brand. The electric car is intended to attract new customer groups.
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