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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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last I checked, the 3-series here in America sold 40% of their cars with manuals! And the lack of a 5-speed really hurt sales of the Lexus IS to their desired market in 2001. DrFill |
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for the manual quite rapidly last year, but was MOST gratified to notice this year that in the truck realm, Nissan, Toyota, and Jeep took the trouble to upgrade their manuals to six-speeds for the '05 model year, and make them standard (if not in plentiful supply!). That is in Frontier and Tacoma, Liberty and Wrangler, and XTerra. Next year's Toyota FJ will have a 6-speed manual which, while optional, is an encouraging sign given that it is included on a brand new model for the '07 model year. Then there are companies like Honda that still seem fairly committed to making sticks available, at least for all their 4-cyl models. And they still sell a very healthy mix of manuals in the Civic and even the Accord lines. Toyota, of course, has all but given up on the manual but even it is aware of the appeal in sporty cars - the Corolla XRS with the Celica engine has a 6-speed manual as its only transmission. Lastly, I am encouraged to see Acura having a very hard time moving auto-trans RSXs, so much so that they have extended and cheapened a promotional lease on auto RSXs only. BMW had so many leftover auto 3-series sedans that it did the same thing - the salesman informed me when I checked into it that the special lease applies only to autos, NOT manuals. Subaru is another one that still sells a healthy mix of manuals, but of course follows the trend of not offering a manual for any of its 6-cyl models - shame shame. That is all the good news. The reality, I think, is that most of the premium-branded models we still have with sticks today (Acura TL/TSX, BMW 3- and 5-series, Mercedes C-class and SLK, Lexus IS, Audi turbo 4's) will not have them within a decade. Either SMG/SMT will be cleaned up to work much better, or more companies will adopt a DSG-type system, and it will be toughened up to handle more power. In the meantime, auto-stick will gain wider and wider acceptance. I think we can reasonably expect some pick-ups to continue to have them, along with some smaller sporty cars. I think the rule of having manuals standard in all really cheap 4-cyl cars will also go away, however, once auto-stick becomes really pervasive. And on a sidenote, I think A/C will be standard on every car within a decade. Cars without it already take such a huge hit on saleability at trade-in time, it is doing a disfavor to the owner not to make it standard. And it must be like 95% of all cars and trucks that now have A/C from the factory. |
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I think Aston Martin is doing it right with the 2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage...it will only be available with a manual transmission when it goes on sale (at least for a year or so). The 2006 Pontiac Solstice will initally only be available with a manual tranmssion. I hope the Cadillac CTS-V is only available with a manual transmission in the future (as it is now). The Corvette Z06 needs to stay manual only (no autos or paddle shifters). I think it is sad that the new BMW M5 doesn't have a manual transmission...any pimple-faced teenager with a permit can drive it! It took skill to drive the old M5s. |
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| BMW has had numerous problems with SMG in the M3 and Z4. Just stick with the manuals, c'mon! | |
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"I think it is sad that the new BMW M5 doesn't have a manual transmission...any pimple-faced teenager with a permit can drive it! It took skill to drive the old M5s." And don't forget, IIRC, the next M3 also will not have a traditional manual. |
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How are you gonna work hard to sell automatic cars on a lease program, but cut out the performance tranny on your best performance metal? Farfegnugen! DrFill |
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Use the slightly underpowered, non-performance oriented trims/vehicles for automatics. The better balanced, more desirable trims with good engine power, offer both trannys. The Z06, RX-8, M3, and other pure performers, use the best performing transmissions (Manuals and quicker-adjusting manumatics). If you can't drive, what are you doing in a RX-8? It loses 30 HP just because you can't drive! Life can be so simple. Am I President yet? DrFill |
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Replying to: callmedrfill (Mar 12, 2005 5:31 am) |
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Of course, try and find a manual-shift Camry. Finding little gremlins on the moon is an easier task. But kudos to Honda for keeping manual shift Accords going out to dealerships. Now what about the Corvette, as far as the "more expensive option" theory goes? In that car, isn't the manual the extra-cost option? And what about GTO, is it the same?
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Replying to: nippononly (Mar 13, 2005 10:53 am) Not sure,Anyone know? but it's the GM thing again I bet |
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