MANUAL TRANSMISSION CONVERSION

For decades, true sports and performance cars were defined by their manual transmissions. Early automatic gearboxes were slow, unresponsive, and lacked the involvement that passionate drivers craved. Without a clutch, there was no opportunity to heel-and-toe, no satisfaction in rev-matching, and no sense of being fully connected to the car. Part of the joy of driving an older performance machine is the feeling of working in harmony with the engineering—using skill, timing, and mechanical intuition to extract its best.

Everything began to change in the early 1990s when Ferrari introduced a breakthrough semi-automatic transmission in Formula 1. By the mid-90s the entire grid had adopted similar systems, and in 1997 Ferrari brought the technology to the road with the F355 F1—a landmark moment in the transfer of motorsport innovation to production supercars.

These early semi-automatic gearboxes, later seen in Ferraris and Lamborghinis, were undeniably quicker and more advanced than the torque-converter automatics that came before them. Paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel added a dramatic, F1-inspired appeal. Yet the technology was still in its infancy. Systems like Ferrari’s F1 and Lamborghini’s E-Gear were exciting, but far from perfect, and many drivers still preferred the purity and engagement of a traditional manual gearbox.

Fast forward 15 years and the landscape shifted again. Dual-clutch transmissions emerged, capable of gear changes in milliseconds and automatic rev-matching on downshifts. This was the beginning of a new era—lightning-fast, video-game-like performance that redefined supercar driving dynamics.

So why consider a manual conversion today?

Considering a manual conversion today makes perfect sense for the right car. A conversion can restore the analogue engagement that many drivers miss. Early semi-automatic systems often lacked the tactile control and rev-matching satisfaction of a true manual.  It’s also worth noting that factory-manual examples of many supercars frequently command higher market values than their automatic counterparts, reflecting ongoing demand for the manual experience. 

And for anyone who has heard the unmistakable metallic click of a Ferrari gated shifter, or felt the mechanical pause of a Lamborghini manual before its engine releases a visceral bark, the appeal becomes crystal clear. A manual conversion isn’t just a modification—it’s a return to the raw, analogue experience that made these cars legendary.

We have a wealth of experience in converting Ferrari F1 cars to 6-speed gated manuals. Our conversions use a blend of factory genuine parts and remanufactured CNC-machined parts, depending on availability and application. Where genuine parts are no longer available, we stay as close to the original manufacturer’s design as possible. For instance, our Ferrari 599 manual conversion does not use a cable shift mechanism like other kits we have seen, as this cheaper and easier alternative does not provide the same reliability or shift experience for the user. Ferrari produced a very limited run of manual 599 cars, and our conversion kit is so faithful to their original design that parts are interchangeable.

In addition to the mechanical parts needed, a manual conversion Ferrari will require some ECU work to adjust parameters relating to rev blipping and torque requests. SBR Engineering has the necessary software and experience to precisely tune your Ferrari to optimise the manual gearbox conversion, often making it an even better experience than a factory manual car.

We do not supply kits to DIY users or other workshops. Each conversion we perform is on a bespoke basis, to be installed and set up in our workshops. This is because we often find that Ferrari themselves have changed certain components and parts on the assembly line. Each car and each Ferrari manual conversion is unique.

We have converted Lamborghinis from around the world from E-Gear to 6-speed manual transmissions, with cars being shipped in from the USA, Bahrain, and South Africa, to name a few.

We are especially known for our Lamborghini Murcielago manual conversion work, with some experts previously claiming it was not possible.

Our approach to converting these cars from e-gear to manual is unique. We have compiled a comprehensive parts list, with over 130 individual parts needed to complete the conversion. 95% of the parts used are genuine Lamborghini and the 5% of the items which are no longer available from the factory are mainly brackets and fixings, which we have had manufactured to the exact OEM specification.

We also supply and fit a new genuine clutch assembly as part of our conversion.

Additionally, we go further than any other company we know of, changing the internals and exterior casing of the gearbox to factory manual specification and not leaving these items as e-gear variants, which we know other conversions tend to do.

Thanks to this approach, our converted cars drive and perform with the precision and reliability of a factory manual car.

SB Race Engineering are now positioned as the global leaders in Lamborghini Muricelago gated manual conversions, converting cars from all over the world.

We have full IPR authorisation in place, which means cars arriving from overseas can go through customs without any implications of import taxes.

Additionally, SBR Engineering is fully equipped with the latest Lamborghini software, which enables us to precisely tune the ECUs in your car to accept and work correctly with the manual conversion. This is a very important part of the whole process to get the car driving as a factory car would, and often even better.

We do not offer this service in kit form for end users or other specialists; the manual conversion must be carried out in our workshops. We find each car is unique, with parts often fitted on the production line that are from different years and model variants. Therefore, each Lamborghini manual conversion we perform is bespoke for that car.