Ferrari appears to be preparing a more collectible take on the 12Cilindri, and the most talked-about detail isn’t power or aero.
The rumoured 12Cilindri MM may introduce a manual-style transmission that uses electronics rather than a traditional mechanical H-pattern gearbox, giving Maranello’s front-engined V12 a more interactive edge without fully stepping back into the past.
For collectors, that distinction matters.
At a glance
- Ferrari is expected to unveil a limited-edition 12Cilindri MM in the coming weeks.
- The car is rumoured to use a shift-by-wire manual-style gearbox rather than a conventional H-pattern manual.
- Production is expected to be highly limited, with around 500 examples rumoured.
A manual feel without the old-school hardware
The 12Cilindri MM is expected to use a transmission concept similar in philosophy to Koenigsegg’s Engage Shift System.
In Koenigsegg’s application, the system is fundamentally an automatic gearbox that can be operated through a manual-style interface, complete with a clutch pedal and a gated-feeling shift action.
Ferrari’s version is rumoured to follow the same broad idea, electronically simulating the rhythm and engagement of a manual shift rather than relying on a traditional mechanical linkage.
That may disappoint purists who want a true H-pattern gearbox, but it also reflects the reality of modern performance car engineering.
Packaging, emissions, drivability, calibration and durability all make a classic manual increasingly difficult to justify in a high-output V12 Ferrari.
Why the 12Cilindri is the right canvas
The standard 12Cilindri is already positioned as Ferrari’s grand, front-engined V12 statement, a car that leans into lineage while using thoroughly contemporary hardware.
A manual-style interface would suit that character because it adds ceremony without trying to turn the car into a bare-bones track special.
Ferrari has long understood that the shift action is part of the theatre, not just a way to select ratios.
If the MM name reaches production, it could give the 12Cilindri a more analogue mood while still preserving the speed and usability expected from a modern flagship GT.
Limited numbers and difficult allocations
Production is rumoured to be around 500 cars, which would make the 12Cilindri MM a serious collector proposition from the moment it is shown.
Access is expected to be tight, and prospective buyers may need a strong relationship with the brand to secure a build slot.
There is also talk of another more extreme 12Cilindri derivative carrying the GTO name, expected to be lighter and sharper in focus.
If both cars arrive, Ferrari would be splitting the 12Cilindri family into two distinct collector lanes, one centred on interaction and theatre, the other on outright focus.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Ferrari |
|---|---|
| Rumoured model | 12Cilindri MM |
| Base model | Ferrari 12Cilindri |
| Configuration | Front-engined V12 grand tourer |
| Transmission | Rumoured shift-by-wire manual-style system |
| Production | Around 500 examples rumoured |
| Expected reveal | In the coming weeks |
The appeal of the 12Cilindri MM will depend on how convincingly Ferrari can make electronics feel mechanical.
If Maranello gets the calibration right, this could become one of the most intriguing modern Ferrari driver’s cars, not because it recreates the past exactly, but because it finds a new way to make a V12 GT feel personal.
