Ferrari. It’s a name that invokes passion. Just saying the name makes me personally think of old, beautiful classic Italian muscle cars. I think of the 5 and 6-peed manual transmissions that adorned so many old Ferrari’s.
There was a time when Ferrari couldn’t make an automatic. Nor did they want to. After a while though, people wanted simple Grand Tourers. Something that could carry them in style. All good and well, just don’t let it interfere with my cars.
Flash forward to 2008. Now everyone wants a paddle shift car. Again, all fine and well, just don’t let it get in the way of my dreams and passions with cars.
Well, Ferrari is letting it come between me and my passions. From a rumor I’ve heard, Ferrari has plans of scrapping manual transmissions in all of their cars. You can hardly find a manual Ferrari these days unless it’s 10 years old or more.
Ferrari has their F1 transmission. It’s lovely. It shifts quicker than you and I can even blink our eyes. I personally love the F1 tranny. I love the idea of it, I love the thought of feeling like Schumi, Kimi or Massa, while traveling down some amazing b-roads. But, I still prefer a good ole’ fashioned manual transmission.
A manual to me is something that inspires passion. It helps you to fall in love with your car. You have control and it lets you. Also, I have bad knees, so it is therapeutic for me to drive a manual. My left knee feels a lot better during the day after it has been worked out by pushing in my clutch.
I guess this is fine for some. But for me this is horrible. There is no point in not making manuals just because more customers want an automatic or something that shifts lightning quick, cool! Stop tooling around wanting people to think your cool, get in, buckle up, shut up and listen to the beautiful sound of the metal shifter and gate clanking together as you speed through the gears.
-Josh
Photos courtesy of: European Car and Automobile
