The Ferrari 12 Cilindri Manuale has been presented with an eight-speed DCT robotic gearbox that can also operate as a six-speed manual transmission, reports UNN citing Autoblog.
Details
Recently, Ferrari seemed to completely avoid the idea of releasing new cars with a manual transmission, although some hinted at a possible return of the manual gearbox in very limited numbers. Now in Maranello, dreams have become reality with the introduction of the 12Cilindri Manuale.
But there is one nuance. Similar to the incredibly ingenious Koenigsegg CC850, the new Ferrari manual gearbox has no mechanical connection to the drivetrain that powers the rear wheels, and what 1,499 lucky individuals (a reference to the displacement of Ferrari's first V12 engine from 1947) will be able to enjoy is essentially the first six gears of an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine remains unchanged; the Manuale weighs only 5 kg more than the standard 12Cilindri.
The new Manuale-By-Wire system is as close to analog control as possible. Ferrari worked with the team that created the Hypersail racing yacht to develop the new gearshift system and electronic clutch control from scratch. It all starts with machining a single piece of high-strength steel to create the central rotating unit, on which the gear selector self-centers using a system of eccentric rollers. Real springs help create the feel of analog mechanical feedback and resistance, and the same applies to the clutch pedal, which is equipped with a torque motor to provide progressive effort. When the pedal is pressed, the clutch pedal sensor initiates a hydraulic actuator for the DCT clutch pack, allowing a gear to be selected. Ferrari made the clutch sensitive enough that jerks or even engine stalling are possible, but to preserve transmission integrity, the manual gearshift has interlocks that prevent selecting a gear too low for the current engine RPM. In other words, you won't accidentally shift into first gear at high speeds.
In automatic mode, activated by pressing buttons on the transmission tunnel, the H-pattern of the gear lever is illuminated in white, and in manual mode, in orange. You can also switch from automatic mode to a preselected gear by shifting to the chosen ratio, which activates a display on the instrument panel showing the RPM the engine can reach. Release the clutch and voila! — you pull away in that gear.
At first glance, the 12Cilindri Manuale is no different from the standard 12Cilindri, and the engine remains the same: the 6.5-liter naturally aspirated (and non-hybrid) V12 still produces 819 horsepower, still revs to 9,500 rpm, and accelerates the car to a top speed of over 340 km/h. Ferrari claims the standard 12Cilindri accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds, while the Manuale variant is slightly slower — exactly three seconds. Special forged alloy wheels are offered (available in four finish options), and the standard aluminum door sills feature a laser-engraved car name logo. When carbon fiber trim is selected, the logo is applied with paint.
The Comfort and Racing seats have six vertical grooves, referencing the gear lever, and each car undergoes a Tailor Made program, evidenced by a silver or carbon fiber plaque between the seats. Customers can choose a paint color referencing the six-speed gearbox, and 25 iconic Ferrari colors are available, including Rosso Rubino (as in the photo), Argento Nürburgring (silver), Nero Daytona (black), Rubino Micalizzato (red), Rosso (yellow), Verde Zeltweg (green), Azzurro La Plata (light blue), Blu Pozzi (blue), Bianco Mille Miglia (white), and Viola Hong Kong (purple). It all depends on how much you are willing to spend, and this limited series is certainly significantly more expensive than the DCT version, which starts at around $465,000 and can reach nearly three-quarters of a million dollars.
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