458 Italia no more Manual

Oh how do I keep forgetting the zr1?

And to mhh I guess we gotta wait and find out. I am certain there will be a comparo between.

 

MotorTrend compared the ZR1 to the 599 and the ZR1 practically won every category.

 

Sadly new Ferrari and Lambo buyers don't like to row gears anymore. And what's worse is that it's not about the performance...

 

I own a ZR1 and a F430. I have driven a 599 and it is very fast. I think the ZR1 is quicker.

I saw a road test done by Car & Driver comparing the ZR1 and the Lambo LP640. They called it a draw. The LP640 has 4 wheel drive so it is quicker from a dead start. The ZR1 won the 1/4 mile. If you do a rolling start the ZR1 won. In my view the lambo won but that is how they judged it. The ZR! is a very quick car, very quick and it is done right.

What surprised me about the ZR1 is how refined the car is and how comfortable and luxurious it feels. It does not handle anywhere near as well as the Ferraris. But it is good. The only car I like better than Ferrari on handling is the Lotus Elise. The Elise suffers in comfort, power and refinement.

Lee

 

yes, this is a touchy subject...many want an 'accessible' driving experience, many want the 'total involvement' that comes from a traditional manual. it seems that the 458 has been designed with the twin clutch in mind...thus no 'gated manual'...it's a shame for those who do really like to shift on their own...i guess Ferrari decided that the 'overall package' with the twin clutch, with no 'manual' option, was a better trade-off in terms of performance and production costs. as with any trade-off, someone always get left out in the cold...

 

Lee, I love the ZR-1 as well and think it is a great car. But before we start jumping on what is the fastest car, lets see the proper road test on the 458 first. Some of Car Rags reported 0-60 in 3.3 to 3.4 for a Panamera Turbo, and 3.5 for a California. A lot has to do with these new Twin Clutch Transmissions and Launch Control. Lets wait and see, as Ferrari has mentioned, they have done a lot of chassis work besides straight line times.

 

And that pretty much sums it up perfectly.

I dunno, the straight-across design in the front grill. The Transformers headlights running way up, the funky rear-end....yet another new design that we'll need to learn to love. About the only thing we unequivocably embrace is the improved performance, can't argue with faster & better-handling.

Funny thing. We all used to say "If America built a car that performed as well as the German & Italian cars...we'd buy it". Along comes the ZR1 and yet with all its performance is still just doesn't have that certain something. I think it just makes the point that there's more to a car then how many G's it can pull or how quickly it can go from 0-60mph.

As the 355 did to the 348, as the 430 did to the 360, I wonder where they'll go from the 458....sure is great living in these times!

 

Are the V12s available in manual?

Is the 612 available in manual?
Is the 599 available in manual?

Thanks.

 

Yes and Yes.

 

Chad, I don't think Ferrari is making anymore 612's with the manual Gearbox from what I have read, they have not made one California in Manual form, the only car they are offering is the 599 custom built.

 

Whatever the reason why people claim to prefer F1/dual-clutch transmissions, I think that a lot of it boils down to bragging rights. If a paddle-shifted car, whether the earlier-type F1 transmission or the dual-clutch version, is faster off the line because of gearchange times (in the hands of professional test drivers), that seems to reset the bar for all other cars. As the traditional manual transmission can't match those times, it is disparaged as old technology, behind the times, etc. Even though very few owners of F1-equipped cars will be able to get anywhere near the times of a professional test driver, I think that it becomes a matter of pride to own the newest technology. I won't go so far as to call it a perceived threat to one's masculinity to prefer a manual on a current car. Maybe it would be kinder to call it a generational preference. Those who grew up with Play Station and Gameboys don't have much investment in the "driver involvement" prized by manual trans. lovers. It's not a criticism, just an opinion. As I said in an earlier post, having driven five F1 Ferraris, I can certainly see their appeal. I just don't long to own one. Fred

 

Complete crap from start to finish.

 

The words of Ferrari CEO, Amedo Felisa, regarding 458:

Q: Is this the end of manual gearboxes in Ferrari?
A: "Yes, it is. The 458 will not be available as a manual, nor will future Ferraris as customers no longer request one."


FINITO!

 

I read that as well in the new EVO yesterday. I went for a ride in a friends California, and frankly I was astonished how good the new DSG transmission was in that car.

 

^ I don't wanna know how good it is, because I don't wanna love the California The review Chris Harris did for Evo, included some comments about the DSG in the 458: He said he was afraid the dual clutch systems would feel too clinical, but the gearbox didn't feel like it but instead warm and organic.

Ferrari is just on a different level now, compared to anyone else... Kidney for sale.

 

Your eloquence knows no boundaries, as does your civility.

 

Er, yeah, right. Because your post was not completely disparaging toward a large potion of Ferrari owners? Or does simply adding "It's not a criticism..." after insulting the integrity and motives of anyone who prefers paddles make it OK?

 

and THAT was probably the biggest fear everyone had...that it would feel numb, that it would make the driving too 'robotic'... i guess Ferrari spent a lot of time tweaking the 'feel' of the gearbox, and not just focus on how 'fast'... all down to programming, or slight revisions in mechanicals? anyone? bueller, bueller?

 

you shouldn't be surprised...your post was thinly veiled insult...certainly came across that way...

 

+1 Most of his remarks have been snide and not contributed anything.

Dave

 

The 355 GTS do demand a premium over spiders. I have been looking for the right 355 GTS with manual for over a year now. They run 55-60K. I can get nice spiders all day long for 50-55K with a little shopping.

 

I know the F1 is better and faster than the manual in every way, but that's not the point of a Ferrari. If I just wanted a fast car I would get a Benz AMG SL. It would be cheaper, more comfortable, and alot easier to get. A Ferrari is not about logic, it's about passion. To me it's about a man conquering a machine, like a cowboy breaking a wild horse. A well executed shift in the middle of a corner with give you a feeling of satisfaction no two petal car can ever touch.

This is just my personal opinion but I would never consider a Ferrari without a stick unless it was for racing, or I physically couldn't shift any more. Well maybe a Stradale, just maybe

 

I will never buy an F car that doesn't have a manual. Can't your request it from the factory or have it switched over?

 

It's a dual clutch, what don't you get. No manual.

 

Just a general observation IMO . . . about the time you can afford to buy a Ferrari . . . is about the time you have grown tired of manual shifting.

Mike