Ferrari is planning a revival of the gated manual transmission in their special supercars in the coming years. This revival is a positive surprise for enthusiasts from the Italian brand. The last time Ferrari made a manual transmission was back in 2012.
This confirmation was given by Ferrari’s chief development boss, Gianmaria Fulgenzi. The reason for returning to the gated manual specifically is that the brand is reaching the level of peak performance. Beyond this level, there will not be performance left to extract within usable limits.
An example can be seen in the 0-100 Km/hr times as the F1 racecar does the rotation in 2.3 seconds. Whereas, the SF90 XX Stradale does it in 2.4 or 2.5 seconds. That is a difference of just two-tenths, which can be achieved in the next few years.
Fulgenzi also pointed out that anything beyond 900 HP for a rear-wheel-drive supercar would be overkill for a normal driver. It can take a physical toll on drivers in ways where they would need to be trained like racing drivers, concerning bones in the neck.
The car, which will feature the revered manual transmission, will probably be from the brand’s Icona series. These are the cars that represent the brand’s learning and a symbol of their heritage. These currently include the Ferrari SP1, SP2 Monza and SP3 Daytona.
Various customers have expressed a strong demand for the gated manual transmission. Among them, Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time F1 champion who currently races with Scuderia, has been particularly vocal in his request.. This will be incredible to see as the British driver would emulate his idol, Ayrton Senna, who helped to develop the Honda NSX.
The last time the brand made a manual supercar was the Ferrari California, and only three were purchased. Automakers like Porsche realised the need for a manual, capitalising on the demand with supercars starting with the Porsche 911R and continuing with manual versions of the Porsche 911 GT3, GT3 Touring, and 911 S/T.
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