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Automotive News & Views The Future Of The Manual Transmission
5809 messages, Last post on Dec 03, 2009 at 12:30 PM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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Replying to: raychuang00 (Sep 08, 2008 10:28 am) That's true. Toyota especially should be ashamed of its shifters these days, but then they are on my short list of manufacturers that will be earliest to dump the manual altogether... I was totally unimpressed with the shifters in the BMW 330i I tried out, and in the VW Rabbit. The one in the A3 was a little better, but still not great, and the one in the Mercedes C300 "Sport" I tried was worse. Honda, OTOH, is perhaps the last automaker left putting an effort into making great manuals. It shows in the quality of the shifts. (It's a good thing for them too, as their automatics are fragile to say the least). And the shifter in the Mini Cooper, well that's a goodie too!  Subaru shifters tend to be in between, with good definition of the gates but a touch too much notchiness. Regardless, I will still go with the manual over the automatic. You want to try out a shifter that is TOTALLY uninspiring some time, try out the one in my Matrix. The thing feels like it will break off in my hand if I try to hustle it through the gear change faster than it is comfortable with...and the rest of the time, "rubbery" is its middle name. With all the other things conspiring to bring about the end of manuals as we know them, it doesn't help that automakers aren't spending the parts money to make them the best they can be. And here's where I call again for car designers to gear the manuals similarly to the automatics in performance, so that they can accomplish the LARGE fuel savings they are capable of if given the proper chance... |
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Replying to: raychuang00 (Sep 08, 2008 10:28 am) Its funny that you cited a manufacturer that hasn't had a real sports car since the 90s. I would argue..well not even argue, they are the worst of the important brands. I would say Honda, then Mazda (although the S2000 and Miata are both kind of in their own league) and then Subaru. I haven't driven a Mtisu stick recently, athough my 80s Galant was fine. With dual-clutch transmissions getting better and better, within a few years we'll see DCT's that have the same fuel economy as a real manual but with vastly smoother shifts between gears. Yup, in something that will cost more than an automatic so the general car buying public won't be so excited about it, and still wont be a real manual so the hold outs wont like it either. Sounds like a win win. |
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Replying to: lemmer (Sep 08, 2008 12:36 pm) I am not sure but I believe Nippon can confirm the article I am talking about because I think he originally pointed it out to me in one of the small cars forums. It is conceivable that things will continue in the direction of fewer and fewer manuals if the Smart car is indeed an example of the new small cars we might see imported both from Europe and Asia.
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Replying to: boaz47 (Sep 08, 2008 9:28 pm) Urban Asian markets are much like Europe with smaller roads, shorter commutes (Europeans actually might WALK to work, its just crazy) and for the most part, warmer climates, so battery vehicles do well there.
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Sep 09, 2008 2:40 am) Not a bad solution to a perceived fuel problem. I could live with it. But still the US and Asia are both heading in an automatic direction. Only the Old world is holding out and that is as much because of a government sponsored financial break on drivers who drive manuals. Not going to happen here so without a subsidy and I don't see European vehicles gaining market share. So if Asia and the US go automatic that is two out of three of the biggest markets in the world. |
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Replying to: boaz47 (Sep 09, 2008 7:52 am) ? I have never heard of a financial break being given to drivers of manuals. What are you referring to? |
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Replying to: bristol2 (Sep 09, 2008 7:58 am) Neither do I. I adhere to your surprise. Manuals over here are sort of 'the usual way', the cheap tradition. But cheap as it might be, that tradition is not subsidized. Regards, Jose |
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Replying to: boaz47 (Sep 08, 2008 11:59 am) Our 2002 Legacy's clutch was not so good, mostly due to non-linear throttle. Oddly my 1998 Forester had a great clutch/throttle combo, so even within Subaru it varies. My 93 Miata has the best clutch I've ever sampled. So fluid, so easy, so light. You could teach newbies it's so easy. |
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Replying to: bristol2 (Sep 09, 2008 7:58 am) Still both the US and Asia are moving away from manuals and that is no longer even debatable. On a brighter note there has been an agreement with the EU for a new all EU license and it will not have a transmission designation on it. It will be legal in all 110 of the signing nations. The segregated license may be vanishing as well.
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Replying to: boaz47 (Sep 09, 2008 12:39 pm) It is a low-cost and niche transmission in the US at this point. So far, it has not adversely affected my life in a dramatic fashion. I have been able to drive a manual transmission vehicle since getting my license, and I don't think I will be forced to give it up in the near future. |
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