Ferrari 458 Speciale modified with manual gearbox

Yes, this Ferrari 458 Speciale, unlike any Speciale, or Italia for that matter, now has a manual transmission. Quite the feat given that no 458 ever came with a stick and three pedals. It simply wasn’t designed with a manual in mind. Indeed, we’ve heard of 430 Scuderia and 360 Challenge Stradale manual swaps, which are far simpler, given cars using these platforms are available with them. There’s a degree of plug and play. The 458? As above, nothing.

There’s not a huge amount of information on what’s gone into the project, only that “this undertaking has been a real labor of love for us, and make no mistake, it was a long time coming”. What has been suggested is that the swap from the 458’s seven-speed dual clutch to a manual H-pattern single-clutch, has cancelled out “a substantial amount of weight”. That would make sense, given DCTs are generally known to be a lot heavier than manuals and even conventional automatics.

What we really want to know is what the gearbox is – we suspect a development of the F430’s – and indeed, how much work has gone into getting it, the H pattern, the clutch pedal and all the various linkages in there and working as you’d expect. It certainly looks close to an OEM finish on the inside.

There’s also the question of whether a manual will suit the 458 Speciale. This is a highly-strung car with fast steering and razor-sharp responses. A manual transmission will slow that process. It’s been said before, a manual might not suit the 458’s character. Perhaps it’ll work best paired with a slower steering rack? Who knows. Either way, we’re glad this is something that’s being explored.