Is a Manual Transmisson Ferrari Tough to Drive?

1 No

2 Yes!

 

I drove a F355 on the road a few months back at low speeds 30-50mph. This was my first time driving a Ferrari and as soon as i made the gear change i realised that i had to drive it by rev matching everytime i pressed the clutch. Weather its any different at higher speeds i don't know, but it was noticable heavier and quite violent if i didn't match the revs.

Maybe i wasn't changing quick enough, but i didn't want to break it as it was a friends car.

Still damm good fun though.

 

Fred is right on both counts.

Mike in Kuwait

 

Enter Sandman Rock Am Ring 2008


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrfAe1K2wzM&feature=related
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It depends what Ferrari you're talking about. Some of the older ones can be a little trickier (not saying they're extremely hard), but not as easy as a Honda or BMW or something.
But with the modern ones, especially 355 and newer, they're very smooth and easy to drive.
and YES much more fun than an F1 gearbox!

 

+1!!!!

 

Mike is right about Fred being right!

 

I've had both. My 360 was an F1, all the others manual. The stick is more difficult to drive. However, they are a lot more fun. I'm not sure about the newer cars though. The new cars are so terribly quick, that I almost think that in order to get the most out of them, you need to either be superman, or use the F1.

Art

 

+3

 

Kevin is right about Mike being right about Fred being right.

 

Simpson is wrong about Kevin being right about Mike being right about Fred being right

It's harder ... at least that's what she said

G

 

It depends. The one in my 1947 166SC is a touch difficult.
You have to shift with your left hand.
The pattern is thus opposite of what you're used to.
There are no syncros so matching shifts by double declutching is a must.
The brakes will go away if you use them too much so you really have to be able to downshift on downhill mountain roads or you will crash.


http://www.youtube.com/user/napolisjmg

 

Ditto but would add they are not as easy as most manuals. Unless you are constantly crunching gears, the tranny will last as long as any.

Dave

 

She's wrong....

Mike in Kuwait

 

What he said. I've been in Porsche 996s, for example, where I almost forgot it was a manual gearbox due to the low effort on clutch and gear lever. In the older Ferraris with the five speed box, the effort changes with the temperature.

FWIW, my Audi is a DSG F1-style box and the Ferrari is a manual. I find the Ferrari much more enjoyable, but the Audi box is faster and more convenient in stop-and-go.

I agree with Kevin about Mike saying Fred was right.

 

Here's an idea...drive one. See what you think.

 

It just takes a little getting used to. We all have different learning curve and different likes and dislikes. It is what you are after that matters. Jimmy

 

1. It entirely depends on the Ferrari. It is very true up to 1957, partly true 1957-1966, slightly true 1966-1984, and not true at all after that.

2. Definitely so, unless you are interested in track performance.

 

If you double clutch every downshift, you should have no problems. I double clutch stick shift every car I drive and always have. Just learning to do it and always doing it will extend the life of any stick shift transmission.

 

what he said!!

 

I have a 308 and to be honest, really don't find it any more difficult than my BMW. After a while, you don't even need to look at the gated shifter. I double clutch every shift as well.

 

Stupid Question:
What is a double-clutch downshift?

 

Its if you are downshifting from 5th to 4th, you shift from 5th to neutral, then you shift from neutral to 4th, depressing the clutch for each shift.

 

Matching revs as well while heel and toeing?

Usually, when I'm in a hurry, I'll skip the double clutching