Ferrari seems very committed to bringing gated levers and selectors back to its cars. Between the Purosangue SUV’s novel gate-shaped toggle switches and the gear lever–shaped control device rumored to come to the Luce EV, the automaker seems keenly aware that one of its most notable signatures is the clacky, notchy shift mechanism from classic prancing horses with manual transmissions. The automaker seems to be getting one step closer to its supercar heyday if a recent patent is to be believed, which describes an actual gated manual shifter that can work with the automaker’s existing automated transmissions.
Base Trim Engine
6.5L V12 Gas
Base Trim Transmission
8-Speed Automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
715 hp
Base Trim Torque
528 lb-ft @ 6250 rpm
Fuel Economy
11/15/12 mpg
0-60 MPH
<3.3 seconds
Swinging Open The Gates
Filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the document shows a clear image of a gated manual shifter, including six labeled gear slots and a shiny, ball-shaped knob at the top of the spindly lever. Reading the patent’s text, though, makes it clear that we aren’t working with an actual stick connected by cables and rods to a transmission. Instead, the “control tower” acts as a gear selector, swapping up and down gears as the driver moves it seductively through its gates.
Ferrari Gated Shifter PatentUnited States Patent and Trademark Office
The patent describes the method by which it selects gears. Like a physical gear shifter, it moves in two axes — fore-aft and right-left – with a pin on the bottom of the shift lever that’s connected to an electronic control unit. Helping the selector feel more natural is the work of a few notched, spring-loaded contact rollers under the gate panel that allow the shift rod to move precisely between the gear spaces. In addition to the six-slot shift gate, the illustrations also reveal a quartet of selector buttons, indicating reverse, neutral, drive, and manual mode.
Presumably, the driver could place the car in drive and allow the computer to handle all gear-based decisions or hit the M button and take control, slipping the shift lever through the gates. As it does this, a computer controller in the mechanism sends shift signals to the automated transmission, allowing the driver some (simulated) control over the gear changes.
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Like Paddles But Better
Although that may be disappointing to the Luddites who crave a true, clutched manual transmission in their modern Ferraris, the system actually sounds like it might be pretty engaging despite being a bit of a phony. The contact rollers have grooves that should help the shift lever clack into place like a real gated manual gearbox, especially if the selector is made of a metal like aluminum, titanium, or stainless steel.
Gated shifter view of a 1999 Ferrari 550 MaranelloBring A Trailer
What’s more, their spring pre-load is computer-controlled, which could prevent the driver from forcing the shift lever into the first or second gates at higher speeds – something that wouldn’t cause actual harm to the automated transmission but still lends an air of authenticity to the fake. In that respect, the gated shift mechanism could potentially take the place of steering column–mounted paddle shifters, helping stick-shifters recapture some of the joy of driving a manual while still enjoying all the rapid-shifting, motorsports-derived benefits of a modern Ferrari dual-clutch transmission.
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CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters
In much the same way that the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and recently updated Porsche Taycan offer simulated gear shifts, the Ferrari patent doesn’t seem “necessary” in any way. It doesn’t substantially change the way the transmission operates, and in fact, it could slow the vehicle down somewhat if the driver accidentally baubles a shift or moves the lever to the wrong gate – the same is true of the Hyundai EV, which will run into a simulated “rev limiter” if the driver forgets to flap the paddles when in manual mode.
Christian von Koenigsegg liked to keep things V12 in the Ferrari 575 Maranello.Ferrari
Still, we applaud Ferrari for thinking outside the box a little bit. In the not-too-distant past, the idea of doing anything that didn’t actively improve performance would be a non-starter for the brand, and now it seems as though its engineers are looking into solutions that would actually make the car a little slower but add more enjoyment and engagement for the driver. It sounds like a fun idea, and although we’re still holding out hope for a genuine stick-shifted Ferrari supercar, the gated, automated system is also a welcome development.
Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office
