Lamborghini charts digital path as manual transmissions fade

Lamborghini has no plans to introduce a manual transmission—simulated or otherwise—to any of its future cars, Federico Foschini, the company's Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, said in an interview with Road & Track this week. The Sant'Agata Bolognese manufacturer's commitment to fully automated systems marks a departure from the nostalgia that has animated recent debates in the international automotive press about the disappearing manual gearbox.

The decision underscores a widening philosophical gap between Emilia-Romagna's two supercar makers. Ferrari's global marketing director, Emanuele Carando, told Edmunds that the automaker has welcomed strong reactions—both enthusiastic and critical—to its new electric Luce model, framing polarized response as a sign of cultural relevance. Lamborghini's stance is more categorical: the company builds cars aligned with its racing programme, which does not use manual gears, Foschini explained. That engineering logic, rather than market sentiment, guides the decision.

The erosion of the manual transmission has become a recurring theme in international automotive coverage. Motor1 reported this month that fewer than 30 vehicles are available with a factory-installed manual gearbox in America, as manufacturers like Ferrari and Lamborghini have adopted lightning-quick dual-clutch systems. The shift reflects broader industry consensus that automated transmissions offer performance advantages that manual systems cannot match—a calculus that Motor Valley's engineers appear to have settled decisively.

For Lamborghini, the choice also signals confidence in the company's market position. The Temerario, the new junior supercar unveiled in recent weeks, matches its larger sibling the Revuelto in performance metrics, according to Car and Driver's photo galleries and testing. The company's refusal to chase nostalgia with a simulated manual option suggests that Lamborghini believes its buyers prioritize technological sophistication and track-proven capability over the cultural symbolism of a stick shift.

The regional context matters. Emilia-Romagna's motor industry has long defined itself through engineering prowess and innovation—Ducati's motorcycles, Ferrari's V12s, Lamborghini's hybrid systems. The decision to abandon even the aesthetic of a manual transmission reflects a maturation of that identity: these are not cars designed to evoke tradition, but machines engineered for a digital era. Whether international buyers accept that framing remains an open question, but Motor Valley's two supercar makers have now staked out opposite corners of the debate.