The Return of the Gated Manual — Ferrari's Boldest Statement Yet
In an automotive era dominated by dual-clutch paddle-shifters and fully automatic transmissions, Ferrari has done something that few would dare: they have brought back the open-gate manual gearbox in a full-production grand tourer. The Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale is not just a car — it is a declaration of intent, a love letter to every driver who believes that the soul of a supercar lives not just in its engine, but in the mechanical connection between man and machine.
Here at BakuWheels, we have seen many landmark Ferraris come and go. But the 12Cilindri Manuale stands in a category of its own. Let us tell you exactly why.
What Is the Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale?
The Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale is the manual transmission variant of the Ferrari 12Cilindri — the spiritual and mechanical successor to the legendary Ferrari 812 Superfast. Unveiled to overwhelming acclaim, it represents Ferrari's commitment to preserving the analog driving experience at the very pinnacle of their lineup.
Under the long, sculpted bonnet sits Ferrari's masterpiece: a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine producing a spine-tingling 819 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 678 Nm of torque. This engine revs to a stratospheric 9,500 rpm redline — a figure that no turbocharged engine can emotionally replicate. The sound alone, that operatic wail of twelve cylinders singing in perfect harmony, is worth the price of admission.
Power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels through a six-speed open-gate manual gearbox — the kind with an exposed metal gate that produces that iconic mechanical 'snick' with every gear change. Ferrari has spent years perfecting the shift quality, and the result is a gearchange that is both precise and deeply satisfying.
Performance Figures That Defy Logic
Despite carrying a manual gearbox — traditionally considered a performance compromise at this level — the 12Cilindri Manuale posts figures that shame many modern hypercars:
- 0–100 km/h: 2.9 seconds
- 0–200 km/h: Under 7.9 seconds
- Top Speed: Over 340 km/h
- Engine: 6.5L Naturally Aspirated V12
- Power: 819 hp at 9,000 rpm
- Torque: 678 Nm
- Gearbox: 6-speed open-gate manual
- Drive: Rear-wheel drive
- Weight: Approximately 1,525 kg (dry)
These numbers speak for themselves. For context, this makes the 12Cilindri Manuale faster than the Ferrari 812 Superfast (which posted a 0–100 time of 2.9 seconds with an automatic), while offering a level of driver engagement that the automated car simply cannot match.
Comparison: Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale vs. The Ferrari Lineup
vs. Ferrari SF90 Stradale — The Hybrid Hypercar
The Ferrari SF90 Stradale is undeniably the faster car on paper, with its 1,000 hp plug-in hybrid system and all-wheel drive rocketing it to 100 km/h in a claimed 2.5 seconds. But here is where the conversation gets interesting: the SF90 is a technological marvel, not an emotional one. Its 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8, even augmented by three electric motors, produces a soundtrack that is muted, filtered, and sanitized compared to the naturally aspirated V12 of the 12Cilindri Manuale. The SF90 is the faster tool; the 12Cilindri Manuale is the greater experience.
vs. Ferrari 812 Competizione — The Hardcore Predecessor
The Ferrari 812 Competizione was a limited-run track-focused version of the 812 Superfast, producing 830 hp from an 830cc-larger displacement V12. It was breathtaking and exclusive — but it came only with an automatic dual-clutch gearbox, and it is now discontinued and collectible. The 12Cilindri Manuale effectively serves as its spiritual successor for the road, offering 819 hp, a manual gearbox, and full production status — meaning you can actually buy one.
vs. Ferrari Roma — The Elegant GT
The Ferrari Roma is Ferrari's most elegant and accessible grand tourer. Powered by a 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 producing around 620 hp, it is a beautiful car but remains firmly in the shadow of the 12Cilindri Manuale in every performance metric. The Roma is the Ferrari you buy for style and daily usability. The 12Cilindri Manuale is the Ferrari you buy when you want everything — style, performance, engagement, and soul.
vs. Ferrari Purosangue — The SUV
The Ferrari Purosangue is a landmark vehicle — Ferrari's first four-door, four-seat SUV, powered by a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 producing 725 hp. Yes, it shares the same basic V12 architecture. But the Purosangue weighs around 2,033 kg and channels its power through an automatic gearbox to all four wheels. It is impressive for what it is, but the 12Cilindri Manuale, lighter, more powerful, and with a manual gearbox, is the purer, more focused driver's car by every measure that matters.
The Open-Gate Gearbox: Why It Matters More Than Lap Times
The open-gate manual gearbox is perhaps the most important feature of this car — not because it makes the 12Cilindri faster (it arguably doesn't on a track), but because of what it represents and what it delivers to the driver.
Each gear change in this car is an event. You depress the clutch, the chrome-finished gate catches the light, your hand wraps around the short-throw lever, and you engage the next ratio with a precise, mechanical certainty that no paddle-shift system can ever replicate. You are not pressing a button — you are participating in the car's operation. You are co-pilot and conductor simultaneously.
Ferrari's engineers have paired the manual gearbox with a rev-matching system that can be disabled, and an advanced traction management system that allows the rear wheels enough freedom to dance — a crucial element when you have 819 horsepower flowing through a manual transmission to just two rear wheels.
Design: Beauty That Serves Purpose
The 12Cilindri Manuale wears the same stunning bodywork as the standard 12Cilindri — a design penned by Ferrari's Centro Stile that echoes the classic front-engined Ferrari GTs of the 1960s and 1970s while being unmistakably modern. The long hood, fastback roofline, and muscular flanks give the car a proportional elegance that is rare in today's supercar landscape.
Inside, the cabin is a blend of Italian craftsmanship and digital modernity. A large curved display dominates the dashboard, while the passenger gets their own infotainment screen. But the center of attention — always — is that beautifully crafted open-gate shifter, sitting proud in the console as a reminder of why this car is different from everything else Ferrari makes.
Who Is This Car For?
The Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale is for the purist. It is for the driver who has watched the automotive world automate, electrify, and digitize everything, and who refuses to accept that driving must be reduced to a series of steering wheel paddle inputs. It is for the collector who wants a future classic — because make no mistake, in twenty years, this car will be spoken of in the same breath as the Ferrari 275 GTB and the Ferrari Daytona. It is for the enthusiast who understands that the journey matters more than the destination, and that the mechanical theater of a naturally aspirated V12 channeled through six gears and two rear wheels is an experience that no EV, no hybrid, and no automatic transmission can replicate.
BakuWheels Verdict: The Greatest Production Ferrari of the Modern Era
After analyzing every angle — performance, engineering, emotional reward, historical significance, and driver connection — we at BakuWheels arrive at a clear conclusion: the Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale is the greatest production Ferrari of the modern era, and arguably of all time.
It is not the fastest Ferrari in outright terms — the SF90 Stradale takes that crown. It is not the most technologically advanced — again, the SF90. But it is the most complete Ferrari. It marries the most glorious engine configuration in automotive history — the high-revving, naturally aspirated V12 — to the most involving transmission ever fitted to a road car — the open-gate manual — in a body that is as beautiful as anything Ferrari has ever made.
In an era when even Ferrari is moving toward electrification and automation, the 12Cilindri Manuale stands as a defiant, magnificent, and likely final monument to everything that made Ferrari the most revered automotive name on the planet. If you ever have the opportunity to drive one, clear your schedule, because nothing else will feel adequate afterward.
— BakuWheels Automotive Editorial Team, 2026