In a somewhat surprising incidence of a manufacturer not just listening to feedback, but taking it onboard and then acting on it, Ferrari is offering to retrofit its unpopular steering wheels with haptic controls.

Customer feedback – and that of testers around the world – indicated that Ferrari’s haptic controls were too easy to brush past while driving, and therefore hit a control you hadn’t meant to touch, reports Motor1. WhichCar by Wheels has done it numerous times while testing otherwise sensational Ferrari cars. In the case of the 2027 Ferrari Amalfi – a refreshed version of the Roma – it will go on sale with traditional switchgear, reverting back from the Roma, which featured the haptic controls.

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Ferrari knows how to build cars – just ask anyone representing the brand and they will tell you. Evidently, Ferrari also likes to remind journalists that it also knows what its customers want – usually with deep clarity. That’s why the recent decision to effectively admit fault, listen to the strong feedback from customers and then act swiftly on it, is all the more surprising.

Owners lucky enough to park either a 12 Cilindri or Purosangue (below) in their garages can now have a steering wheel retro fitted by Ferrari, that removes the contentious haptic controls that came standard on the steering wheel. A spokesperson for Ferrari also told Car and Driver that the programme would extend to 296 GTB, 296 GTS and the Roma Spider.

Motor1 spotted an Instagram post from Ferrari of Atlanta noting the change, with the new design swapping out all haptic controls on the steering wheel for regular buttons, except for the start/stop button, which will retain its haptic design.

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WhichCar by Wheels contacted Ferrari Australia to find out what this means for Australian customers. “The Ferrari steering wheel retrofit is a client-driven optional solution that reflects Ferrari’s commitment to listening to its customers,” Ferrari Australasia Communications Manager Ryan Lewis told us.

“Over time, a preference was expressed for physical, tactile steering-wheel controls rather than touch commands. Ferrari invested in the development effort required to engineer, validate and industrialise a retrofit alternative in response to this feedback. The solution is now available in Europe as a voluntary option for clients who wish to adopt a different interface. Subsequent regions, including Australia and New Zealand, will follow.”