The Ferrari grand-touring coupe, with its front-mounted V-12 engine and rear-wheel-drive configuration, has long been a staple of success for Ferrari and the stuff of legends. The formula first took shape in the mid-1950s with the 250 GT and continued its evolution through the 1960s with the impactful 365 GTB/4 Daytona. By 1996, Ferrari was ready to introduce the 550 Maranello. As with many of its predecessors, it featured chart-topping performance coupled with a spacious trunk and rear parcel shelf; more than suitable for a weekend road trip for two.

Building on the 550 Maranello, Ferrari would introduce the 575M six years later. The "M," for "Modificata,” signified both performance and design upgrades, including a more powerful 5.75-liter V12 engine, larger brake discs, an adaptive suspension that minimized pitch during shifting, updated front fascia, and a refreshed interior. Possibly the most notable change was the introduction of a Magneti Marelli paddle-shifted F1 transmission. Based on early F1 paddle-shift technology, the vast majority of buyers opted to outfit their 575M with this option. However, a small fraction of enthusiasts could not resist the ability to shift their own gears through Ferrari’s iconic gated shifter—its distinct “clink, clink” sound of metal on metal punctuating the V-12 engine’s rising revs. Of the 2,056 575M Maranello examples produced from 2002 through 2005 model years, only 246 are understood to have been built with the coveted manual transmission. The 575M offered here today is one of those fortunate few.

Ordered new through Ferrari of San Francisco with a sticker price of $229,768, this example is cloaked in the stunning shade of Grigio Titanio with a beautiful Blu Scuro leather interior. Two years after delivery, the car had accumulated just 4,500 miles and would be sold to a long-term owner in the Chicago region, according to its Carfax report, which also indicates faithful maintenance through Lake Forest Sportcars during this period. Subsequent owners would go on to add minimal mileage, with the odometer showing fewer than 24,000 miles at cataloguing time.

With the increasing scarcity of manual transmissions on new and late-model vehicles, this stellar and rare example of a highly regarded Italian V-12 grand tourer will surely appeal to purists who prize the added connection and driver involvement that comes with Ferrari’s iconic gated shifter.