Ferrari did good when it launched its appropriately named F1 gearbox in the 355 F1 in 1997. Since then, sister company Maserati has developed its own version, called the Cambiocorsa. Moving down Fiat’s stream of car brands, Alfa Romeo made the Selespeed transmission that first appeared in the 156. Fiat too, has a Dualogic.
Just as Ferrari upped the stakes with the latest F1-Superfast gearbox found on the 599 GTB Fiorano and Maserati has done likewise with its Cambiocorsa, Alfa Romeo has also done its bit. And improvements are obvious on the new 159 Selespeed tested here.
In a market with a strong prejudice against three-pedal cars, the new Selespeed is what Alfa needs.
But as it turns out, the Selespeed doesn’t merely pander to lazy drivers. It actually enhances the 159’s driveability. The 6-speed gearbox, which adds $5000 to the asking price, seems to suit the car better than the manual version introduced earlier.
Without having to contend with the soft clutch-pedal action during gearchanges, the entire driveline just seems to be more in sync with the drivetrain.
The user interface has been updated slightly from earlier Alfa Romeos. The sequential shifting directions have been reversed, following the lead of BMW, racing cars and generations of driving games. You nudge the shifter forwards to effect downshifts. Alternatively, there are tabs on the steering wheel to do the job.
Self-initiated shifts in “D” mode are discernibly smoother than earlier Selespeeds. You also don’t hear the clumsily clonking actuators anymore. The ‘box does its best work at mid-pressure throttle inputs, where it feels like the car is flat-changing masterfully. Otherwise, lifting off slightly, just as the gearchange is effected, is still the ideal modus operandi to achieve the smoothest shifts.
The “Sport” mode on the Selespeed quickens both gearchanges and the accelerator’s responsiveness. So when you are in the mood to boot, the transmission plays ball to keep the engine on boil. 
