Message from CEO of Ferrari on Manual Transmission

I get asked this all the time with my products. "Why can't you do this or that? Don't you know you are losing 5% of your sales?"

The problem is by the time you do all the testing, regulations, tooling and engineering, it isn't worth it. You just move on to something new where you can get back a good return on your investment.

You can't make a cap gun today. How many kids would love a cap gun? I had one as a kid. Millions I guess would like one. But you can't do it anymore and there's no going back.

 

You have to get an automatic or a three-pedal manual in a Corvette, probably GM's way of keeping costs down. If a proper dual-clutch box was available, it would kill three-pedal manual and automatic sales.

Ferrari doesn't need to compromise or go cheap.

 

I had a C7 manual. Ordered it that way. Most disappointing. The 7th gear screws up the pattern and feel. I never liked it.

They have a new auto 8 box that's pretty close in feel to a DCT. Not sure it's killing the manual though.

I'm always surprised that manual lovers don't gripe about power steering. The C 7 electric system is just horrible.

 

Yes the 8 speed feels light years ahead of the previous trans. Would a dct box dominate sales? Maybe but I doubt it.

40% of cars ordered with a manual trans says a lot IMO.

Some impressive technology in the new vettes but in many ways I prefer the C6.

 

If you're a "well informed enthusiast", I think this is partly true; for some people, the "manual gearbox" is more sporty..... eg. Mazda Miata, Fiat Abarth. It's actually part of their marketing. To what real effect, I'm not sure. In some car segments it's a differentiation point. I know a couple new Corvette and Camaro owners, to them having the manual gearbox was part of the "throwback" experience they were looking for (i.e. modern version of the classic american muscle). FWIW, Corvette race cars have paddle-actuated sequentials, the Camaros in IMSA GS are still manuals (by rule, not by choice)

Bob's right on. I made this point a few pages back (or, tried to). In spite of the heavy debate online, the reality is it didn't translate into heavy purchasing volume on new Ferraris.

As a general comment, on the Corvette (and even Camaro), the automatic gearboxes are terrible, and to some degree, the manual gearbox works well (better) with the engine. A DCT system might be more interesting, not sure.

One thing I have become much more picky about with cars are the gearboxes. I had 2 X5M's, sweet engines but transmission just sucked. Wife now has a Cayenne Turbo S which is an amazing platform, but the 8 speed auto is the absolute weakest link. In contrast, the Macan with a DCT is much more fun. I cannot imagine any of these with a manual box (yes, I know they are SUV's).

To each his/her own, I enjoy driving our manual gearbox cars and the DCT-equipped, different tools for different moments.

 

I think many of us agree that if its "fun to drive" a manual is not the be all and end all componAnt, but done right can be a key one, Ali g with steering and a whole host of other factors.
I know the 7 speed box in the 991 sucks and the 7 speed in the vette is not great either.
We can well imagine that a 458 would have been ill suited to just the addition of a manual as the 599 was.

The lack of a manual choice in a Ferrari is but one symptom of how lap times and concurrent use ability for anyone has blandex out the driving experience bow 9/10 pace.

I think the point of the cayman gt4 and rumored 991 R is that it does not have to be this way, in fact the 288 proved it to Ferrari long ago, raw viceral feedback cars sell.
To me the transmission is but one component of that and possibly not the critical component.

If you remember in the 80s we had the rudimentary 288 and the tech laden "modern" 959.
I think the choice then was the 288 because it was just such a viceral and fun driving experience even though the 959 was. Better more tech and developed car.

As to comparing a 512m to 550 it makes the point. A 512m was ways a ore raw vicerL car the 550 is and was a big heavy gt with ps. The interim. Was to make the 550 useable but a lot got lost in the translation.

Dame problem with the mp12 mclaren they our engineered Ferrari to be useable but lost the plot of an exotic. It's almost by accident that by dropping the complex isTed mp12 suspension for simpler springs and shocks the made the 570 a better drivers car.

FerrRi has retained the visual and aural drama, now The cars need some models with dynamic drama too. If porche can do it so can ferrAri
They are a sports at maker why not cover some of the differnt genre in their price segment.

If everybody from Mazda to porche to corvette can do it, so can Ferrari.
The difference is cerrRi hangs it hat on f1 success and cast road cars, I think the "brand" would be served well with some authentically seminal drivers cars.

 

It's true that the 512M creates sensations that no other mainstream 12 cyl Ferrari has done since, no matter how fast.

 

Agreed the 512 series was just epic

 

Sean, you certainly make a point but I have real doubts that Ferrari would find enough buyers to pay the cost of re-engineering the drive train of any of their cars.

 

Except the tech-laden Porsche 959 and tech-light Ferrari 288 GTO both had three-pedal manual gearboxes because that was the best technology of that era, not because Porsche and Ferrari decided to include technology from 30 years earlier to make them slower and more "authentic."

The 458 is absolutely a drivers' car. Would love a drive in a Speciale.

 

I don't have a problem with better technology - I have a problem with technology that does the driving for you.

To say that a 458 is a "driver's" car is putting things in a rather questionable perspective.

I would much rather have a car with technology that gives me better information, so that I can drive it better.