New Ferrari With Manual Transmission?

There was a manual trans option for the most part, pre/during/post 50's. At least on cars it made some sense on.

Is the 4 speed hydra-matic in my 59 Cadillac a terrible slushbox? Pretty much. I mean it works fine but it's not great.

Has no influence on my preference for manual trans. I just enjoy it more, simple as that.

For those that prefer F1/DCT, of course drive what you prefer. I think it should be an actual preference rather than reasoning of "it's faster".

If I was on a track against all F1 and DCT cars there would be many reasons why I may be slower but having a manual trans would be at the absolute end of that list.

 

On street, it's a preference issue. I strongly prefer manual by a mile.

On track, there is a whole skill element to it beyond just speed of shifts. An incorrect downshift can grenade the engine instantly, and a poorly rev-matched downshift while cornering can spin the car. If I tracked, I'd probably be forced to pick F1/DCT (my own personal skill gap) even though it wouldn't be my preference.

I didn't have full appreciation for what an "art" manual shifting on track was until my son started tracking a manual transmission car.

 

Why shoehorn a V8 when the 6 already makes 800 hp by itself?

 

Good for you.

 

You guys are funny. Do you seriously think Ferrari gives a **** about what you think?

 

I would like to see Formula 1 outlaw paddles and go back to manual gearboxes with manual clutches. That would make for some interesting races today.

To most consumers Ferraris DCT's are automatics that happen to have an option to shift using the paddles. Eliminate the "auto" button and see how many Kardashians still buy them.

 

Because a NA V8 sounds way better than a NA V6 and turbos make for awful manual cars.

 

no but their Icona series is increasingly important for them as special editions are likely to be trading for less and less overs so buyers need an additional reason to feed into the system when the base cars are losing a lot

a manual light Icona would be desirable imo

 

That would only reinforce the feeling that manual transmission on a modern sports car is more about posing than driving enjoyment; because the Icona cars are not made to be driven, they are made for collectors or speculators.

 

yeah that's what I am saying, that's the only place that they can put a manual transmission because their cars otherwise have to be the fastest in the sector or at least close.

 

Well, they did do an SUV and no one thought they would and they're a public company now. I could see a lower entry Ferrari, say in the $225k base price with a manual to capture some of those 718 GT4RS buyers. 600HP N/A V6.

 

Hahaha nice one

 

You know everyone seems to equate "manual" with entry level. I think its the exact opposite today. I think the usual driver in this country orders the PDK/DCT and the "enthusiast" or "discerning" driver is willing to wait or pay for the manual. When I was shopping for my 991, I read that only 10% of the production was manual transmission. If I would have been able to live with a PDK I could have bought a nice car for $20k less. I want a stick in my 911 and I recognized I'd have to pay.

I think its the exact opposite. Don't put a manual transmission on the entry level car. Put it on the highest end model. The people who want it will pay. AKA 911 S/T. They didn't put it the weight savings on a cheep entry level car that might be intuitive, they put it on the highest spec car and charged the moon. Ferrari will follow.

I'd be funny if the peeps that buy it can't drive the car they bought.. lol..

 

Would never happen, a “budget” Ferrari goes against everything the company is about now. They are about margins, why charge $200k for something when your brand cache can sell it for $500?

They explored a Dino option before and rejected it and went upmarket and introduced the SF90… bigger margins.

 

The sad thing is if Ferrari offered a manual transmission on every car it produced, and even if the paddles cost more, they would still sell far more paddle cars than manuals after an initial frenzy. The number of Ferrari manuals sold as a percentage would quickly fall to the same percentage it was before they stopped offering them. The same people who messed it up for us last time would mess it all up again.

 

Especially, with the sales people directed to "help keep the service department busy" with the over-complicated systems required to run the automatics.
...ALSO an "again".

 

Suppose they could test the water with a manual Alfa 4 c .

See what shape and size of frenzy they create first on a “ lesser “ modal .

Consider the effect it has on this car before doing a Ferrari .

Or look at Lotus with the Emira …..to see the split , gauge the manual market .
I think they should do it with ALL the mid engined ranges offer them the option with a base “club sport “ lightened package .

Unfortunately turbos are here to stay due to EU emissions regs .

 

Amen

 

You know if they offered a Roma (or its coming replacement) with a manual I might actually consider it. With an autobox? I'll keep the Corvette C8. Its an auto but 1/3 the price and just as fast.

 

Yeah cause their cars are not really selling like the used to,

 

In Europe through to 2k where most cars had no power a manual was sort of a must, it was also in the cheap cars. Expensive cars had bigger engiens and coudl handle the slushbox.

In the USA in general cars had way more power and the lsushbox was not such a detriment. Therefore sportscars and really cheap econo small cars had manuals, two different market segments.

Europeans associated auto with premium, Americans associated manual with performance.
The V10 M5 had a manual option in USA only because the paddles didn't sell so well.
GT3s which are porsches best and certainly most focussed performance car(note not :fastest") in USA has near 50% manual rakeup rate.
When the Gt4 came out it dobles cayman sales and it was a manual only car.
In the used market which is mroe enthusiast driven the manual versions of pretty much any performance car sell at a premium.

The fact is for open road manuals are more visceral and engaging, thjey can also be a pita in traffic and you sorta have to know how to use one.

People say ferrari is all about performance but that is not true, its rare their cars are the fastest in any segment. Ferraris are more about the experience, for many that's about "sound" looks and badge/sucess etc and maybe some paper specs.

Another segment of experience might be driver engagement, looks, sound with power characteristics and rawness, it has been decades since ferrari served this market, although it used to be the core.

For decades now ferrari sales have bene predicated on F1 image, ersatz race car thats easy to drive, costs a lot and announces itself while being evocative, along with a glorified back catalogue.These cars may have also been great to drive in a digitized way, seciale pista etc.
Nothing wrong with ferrari making a car that offer snapshots of the more evocative classic experience while being modern. A 296 sans electrics with manual and a serious diet sounds great and compelling in a way no other modern ferrai does. Its probably a good segment to explore espo as sales of things like 296 Roma etc are not so sold out as before. It cannot have escaped ferraris notice how successful the Gt3 is, and frankly while its currently an auto only the new aston vantage seems more raw beautiful and appealing than most of ferraris new catalog.

Id say for the USA ferrari would do well to sell an non Hybrid version of the 296 with a manual, for the one (sucess I have a ferrai crowd) it would not be so appealing as it would be slower and in general more minimal. For thousands of otters per year It would be more appealing and a great car regardless of badge. Oh yeah and scrap the all screen dash, thats just cheap feeling.

Exciting to hear that lotus is exploring the amg v8 for the emira and with a manual option. See the emira v6 flawed and slowish as it is, has had its most sucess in the usa coupling a glorious sounding v6 to a manual. I think maybe that emira v8 will be the exact car ferrari should have built, and its success will be to the exact client's ferrari lost. At this point clients and repeat clients are important to ferrari.

 

I love the paddles.

I believe the stick belongs in the past. The transition cars 575 (well kinda 599 but not really) and 355 (well kinda 360/430 but not really) were the perfect jump off point. Modern cars are too fast for the stick. Ford GT, (05-06) perfect stick cars. New FGT? Dumb with stick

 

What's the rev limit on the 296 6 cyl, what the Tq curve look like. Seems to me more like a modern F40.
A 9k rpm low tq motor, paddles make sense. Traffic paddles make sense, for track absolutely, elsewhere for driving fun and engagent a manul is simply the way to go.

 

this is the irony isnt it.. they will build yet another ridiculously expensive car, which only the LVMH crowd will really want to pay for, but most of them cannot drive stick....and the guys who do actually drive stick and would want the car dont want to pay the price....how to not understand your customer yet again ferrari....

 

Personally, I have a blast with Paddles. I only drive my 488 in race mode with paddles. The 296 with which I have an immense amount of respect would be dumb with stick. In any way shape or form. My paddle 355 and my stick 355 are a blast and I have loads of fun with each. My 550 is beautiful as a stick yet the 575 is beautiful with paddles. The F40 drives like a kit car and is obviously great as a stick, could only be a stick. The restomod version of the F40, properly modernly powered could and should (and will) be paddles.