Ferrari believes that if you want to drive a manual, your best bet is to buy a classic, as it has no intention of bringing back the do-it-yourself setup.
While manual transmissions have seen a welcome revival recently, Ferrari has no plans to follow this trend.
Pagani and Koenigsegg have brought manuals back, with Koenigsegg doing so in a unique way, riding the wave created by the success of the GMA T.50. If you want your hypercar to sell out today, it had better not be electric, and it helps if it has a manual gearbox, a clutch pedal, and ideally, a naturally aspirated, high-revving combustion engine.
Elsewhere, Porsche’s best drivers’ cars are still manuals and even manufacturers like Aston Martin are looking at reintroducing manual gearboxes into mainstream production. One brand that has remained quiet on this topic for years is Ferrari. That changed recently, but it was not the news many hoped for, as Ferrari has made it clear the gated shifter will not return anytime soon.
At the launch of the new Amalfi, Ferrari’s chief marketing and commercial officer, Enrico Galliera, was asked by EVO about the possibility of a manual returning to Ferrari’s modern lineup, and his response left little room for hope.
“You missed it! The manual gearbox, we already have it, in many of our classic cars. You can go and drive our fantastic manual gearboxes on our fantastic events for our classic cars. Whoever wants to have this kind of classic experience, they can buy and restore our fantastic classics and come to our events. We have it, we push our clients to discover the beauty of driving a classic car. We offer Corsa Pilotti on classic cars because many people don’t know how to use the manual cars. It’s an important experience that we can offer on our classic cars for the time being.”
The key phrase here is “for the time being”, which isn’t a hard “never”. Ferrari has shown it will listen to customer demand, proven by its return to physical controls and a real starter button in its cars. If enough buyers push for it, the return of a manual gearbox could at least be considered.
There is, however, a reason for Ferrari’s reluctance. Look back at the California, the Amalfi’s predecessor. Ferrari did develop and offer a manual for that car, but only three were ever built, with the vast majority of customers opting for the brand’s first dual-clutch, paddle-operated gearbox.
That said, the market in 2025 is vastly different from that of 2009. Enthusiasts and buyers in the high-end segment are leaning more towards driving feel over sheer performance figures. With this shift in mindset, there is hope that Ferrari, along with others, may eventually see the value in bringing back the manual for those who truly want to experience the connection it offers.