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This Manual-Swapped Ferrari 458 Speciale Is the Best, Perfected

ferrari 458 speciale manual swapped
Manual Ferrari 458 Speciale Is the Best, PerfectedModificata

The Ferrari 458 Speciale is one of the greatest modern supercars ever. It combines a world-class chassis to a 9000-rpm flat-plane crank naturally aspirated V-8 and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, delivering endless revs and smiles. While no one has ever said the 458 needed a manual, purists like us would've loved the option. Now, thanks to the folks at Modificata, the manual 458 Speciale is a reality.

Modificata, a Ferrari specialist company founded by racing legend Jeff Segal, swapped out the standard dual-clutch transmission for a true H-pattern six-speed, likely at great cost, as modifications had to be made to the center console and pedal box to accommodate all of the extra hardware. There's a new platform for the shift gates to sit on, and an AP Racing pedal set tight enough to fit in the footwell.

"This undertaking has been a real labor of love for us, and make no mistake, it was a long time coming," Modificata said in a statement. "For all the challenges we faced along the way, there is no better reward than the Italian symphony of 9000 rpm and the metallic click-clack of a gated shifter."

Modificata is no stranger to cool Ferrari builds. We drove the company's modified F355 back in 2019, and walked away with a new-found love for the car (and for earplugs).

While there's no doubt a manual transmission in place of the dual-clutch makes this 458 Speciale slower, it elevates the driving experience ten-fold, adding layers of feedback of interaction for the driver. If we had our way, every Speciale would be like this.

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