The Ferrari 458 Speciale is a special supercar in a lot of ways. The 458 is one of the finest mid-engined supercars that Ferrari has ever made, but with the Speciale, it was the final hurrah for the naturally-aspirated V-8 Ferrari. It was raw and visceral, and it drove the part. The 7-speed dual-clutch it had shifts gears extremely fast and smoothly, but the driver engagement of a manual is definitely hard to beat. So call us happy to see that an American tuner created the manual 458 Speciale of our dreams.
The Manual Ferrari 458 Speciale Of Our Dreams Is Now A Reality
Thanks to Modificata, this American tuning company (not to be confused with the badge applied to some Ferraris such as the 2021 488 GT Modificata) turned an automatic supercar with its high-tech driver aids and modern flappy paddle gearbox into a more analog one by fitting it with a six-speed manual transmission — a huge task to undertake since the 458 never came with a manual.
While Modificata didn't reveal how they created the transmission, we can only assume that this meant a lot of heavy re-engineering for the 458 Speciale. This starts with a new, higher transmission tunnel to accommodate the six-speed manual shifter, and this means the removal of the curved stalk found in the standard car that contains the three different driving modes. The transmission tunnel is trimmed in black Alcantara with white stitching to match the rest of the vehicle, while the shifter and gated H-pattern are finished in metal.
The conversion to a six-speed manual looks exquisitely made and something that even Ferrari may have done themselves. It's already a marvel to look at the gated shifter in photos, and we're sure it will sound and feel even more involving when used in person. Thankfully, Modificata did just that and released a driving video in first-person view that's coupled with a great microphone to capture all of the mechanical sounds that the transmission makes.
As soon as the Ferrari 458 Speciale roars into life, you can already begin to hear the clicking sounds associated with a gated six-speed manual. Couple it with the visceral noise of its 4.5-liter naturally-aspirated V-8 that produces 597 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque, and you've got a driving experience that has become a lot more involving and lively thanks to a simple (but comprehensive) transmission change.
It's Probably A Bit Slower To 62 MPH, But The Joy It Offers Can't Be Put In Numbers
The 458 Speciale sprints from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.0 seconds with the 7-speed dual-clutch, but the switch to a manual will surely slow it down a bit. But then, who cares? We'd happily trade a few tenths of a second for significantly more smiles per hour.
Modificata says that this project "has been a real labor of love for us, and make no mistake, it was a long time coming. For all the challenges we faced along the way, there is no better reward than the Italian symphony of 9,000 RPM and the metallic click-clack of a gated shifter."
The company adds: "We tend to prefer analog over digital for our vehicles, but in this case, there's no denying that the numbers tell the story best. Subtract two paddle shifters, add a third pedal, and substitute the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with a manually shifted six-speed H-pattern. Then cancel out a substantial amount of weight, and you have the formula for the latest creation from Modificata." Unfortunately, Modificata has not revealed whether they will sell the conversion to customers or it will remain to be a one-off project for the company.