Ferrari has introduced a bespoke, limited-production model aimed at customers who prize a tactile, analogue driving experience. Called the 12Cilindri Manuale, the car is a special series of the 2024 12Cilindri and reintroduces a manual control concept into the brand's flagship V12 programme.
The automaker described the 12Cilindri Manuale as featuring a new 'Manuale by-wire' system designed to reproduce the feel and engagement of a traditional manual gearbox. The system provides a physical gear stick and a three-pedal layout but preserves the advantages typically associated with modern dual-clutch transmissions, according to Ferrari.
Built as a front-engined grand tourer, the Manuale is limited to 1,499 units. Its powertrain centers on a naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine that delivers 830 horsepower, combined with the three-pedal arrangement to place what Ferrari called the relationship between driver input, mechanics, and control at the heart of the driving experience. In Italy the starting price is €590,000, which the company provided as equivalent to $672,000 for reference. First customer deliveries are scheduled for the first quarter of next year.
The launch arrives shortly after Ferrari's introduction of the Luce, the company's first fully electric model. The Luce, priced at €550,000, prompted a muted reaction among some sections of Ferrari's enthusiast base and generated criticism online, including a number of unflattering social media memes. The critical commentary has focused on both the Luce's unconventional styling and Ferrari's move into electric propulsion.
With the 12Cilindri Manuale Ferrari is emphasizing the retention of its traditional performance characteristics. The manual series underscores the continued prominence of petrol and hybrid models across Ferrari's portfolio, which also includes track-oriented cars, traditional V12 flagships and the four-door, four-seater Purosangue.
Ferrari has set out a plan for its model mix through the decade that keeps combustion engines central to its offering even as it develops electrification. Under the company's business plan, electric vehicles are expected to account for 20% of its line-up by 2030, while the remaining 80% will be split evenly between petrol and hybrid models. The company presented those allocations as its intended approach to balancing new technologies with its combustion-engine heritage.
Summary of launch details
- Model: 12Cilindri Manuale, a special series of the 2024 12Cilindri
- Powertrain: naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 producing 830 horsepower
- Transmission: 'Manuale by-wire' with gear stick and three-pedal layout, retaining dual-clutch benefits
- Availability: limited to 1,499 units; Italian pricing starts at €590,000 (€590,000 = $672,000)
- Deliveries: scheduled to begin in the first quarter of next year