New Ferrari 12Cilindri Revives the Gated ShifterFerrariThe 2027 Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale is the first car with a gated manual shifter to come out of Maranello since 2012.While the 12Cilindri lets the driver row their own gears, there is no physical connection to the powertrain, so the experience is actually a simulation.Ferrari will only build 1499 copies of the 12Cilindri Manuale, which each feature an 819-hp V-12 engine and will start at around $675,000.Mere weeks after making the world groan with the debut of the Luce, Ferrari's first EV, the brand is shifting our attention away with what is known in the public relations world as a diversionary tactic. We welcome the diversion because the manual transmission is back at Ferrari, sort of.FerrariIt's a simulation of a manual transmission in that there isn't a real manual transmission in the car. Best thought of as a manual mode for the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic that bolts to the 12Cilindri's rear end that comes with a gated shifter and a clutch pedal. Push the clutch in at any speed below 62 mph, and you enter manual mode that allows you to row your own. While we didn't get to drive it, we sat in the 12Cilindri Manuale and pushed in the clutch and rowed through the gears. Ferrari chased the tactility of its last manual transmission car with a V-12, the 599 GTB Fiorano, which ended production in 2012.AdvertisementAdvertisementChanging gears has the resistance that comes when you change gears in a manual gearbox, except this one has no physical connection to the powertrain. An electrical connection that Ferrari calls "Manuale by Wire" sends your hand's intentions to the gearbox. Manual mode uses the first six of the transmission's eight speeds laid out in an "H" pattern with first to the left and up; reverse is even further left of the "H." Should you need to shift to seventh, simply press the D button to move out of manual mode; there are no paddle shifters in the Manuale.FerrariAs in Ferraris of the past, going from gear to gear is accompanied by a clink-clink of metal shaft striking the aluminum gates. Unlike Ferrari manuals of the past, there's perfect consistency as you move through the gears. Older Ferrari manuals had different resistances depending on what gear you'd selected, the temperature of the gearbox oil, and the transmission assembler's mood when installing the synchros, but let's not get bogged down in the simulation being too perfect.The clutch pedal strokes smoothly and has a position sensor that ensures that the clutch takeup and release work naturally. We're told that if you don't know what you're doing, you can stall the 819-hp V-12 like a freshly permitted 15-year-old. You can also rev the engine to 9500 and dump the clutch should you be into that sort of thing, we asked. Get it right, and Ferrari claims that acceleration times are roughly the same as with the dual-clutch gearbox. Get it wrong, and you'll be a lot slower, but that's part of the fun. According to Ferrari, the Manuale only weighs 11 pounds more than the 12Cilindri. We also asked about trying to start the car from a stop in high gears, and that only elicited an eye roll, which we took to mean no.FerrariThis car's existence is due to Ferrari owners who never stopped asking for a manual. Ferrari went to work developing the parts that you touch and the behind-the-scenes programming that allows the dual-clutch automatic to mimic a stick. Ferrari is planning a run of 1499 12Cilindri Manuales with a starting price of 590,000 Euros, the equivalent of roughly $675,000. It sounds like they don't anticipate many being available, so maybe buy a Luce or two and get on the list.➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsYou Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029