Manual tranny extinct?

[Rocket_Rod]

Originally Posted by BNBM3

I always wonder at people who think shifting is a "driving experience." To me, it's a nuisance that takes away from driving. I don't care much about my lap time, but I really enjoy driving on the track with a DCT and not having to dick around with heel toe and shifting nonsense. I just want to drive fast, accelerate, brake, and turn. It's good fun. The manual guys spend every moment talking about shifting, when to shift, how best to shift, which gear this, which gear that, blah blah blah.

But to each their own.

Shifting gears is part of driving. But if you want a computer to do that part of the driving for you, all well and good. One day, there will be people entering the track into their cars ECU and sending the car around on its own and brag about how awesome they are..... yeah, well done Intel, you're awesome!

Like I said, putting a prepackaged meal into the microwave is technically cooking......

[Rocket_Rod]

Originally Posted by DSilk

A nuisance? Shifting is as much a part of the driving experience as is steering and braking. If acceleration is what gets your juices flowing (and, yes it is a rush), then perhaps you should lok at a Tesla for your next car. In "ludicrous" mode it will smoke our M3's.

Agreed.

"Siri, drive me to Walmart...."

This to me is where technology is taking us.

[New2Roundel]

This is more of a complex question than I think the OP realized. I think at the moment, manual transmissions are being used in more focused applications. Does anyone really want a 4-cyl Camry or Fusion with a manual transmission? I wouldn't and I love manual transmissions. Most of the performance cars that most people can afford are available or will be available (next GT3 is rumored to be available with a manual) with a manual. The cars I want to own some day---corvette, viper, Porsche sports car are all available in some form with a manual. Mercedes never did manuals to any appreciable degree and Audi just sucks. I'm not a huge Audi fan anyway though.

The bigger question isn't whether manuals are becoming extinct, but are people on a population scale growing tired of rowing their own gears in a performance car?

[kb9uwu]

Originally Posted by New2Roundel

This is more of a complex question than I think the OP realized. I think at the moment, manual transmissions are being used in more focused applications. Does anyone really want a 4-cyl Camry or Fusion with a manual transmission?

Some of the most fun manual boxes I've driven around town are shitty little 4 cyl cars like those you've mentioned... and I own a MT M3!

[-BEASTMW-]

Originally Posted by New2Roundel

This is more of a complex question than I think the OP realized. I think at the moment, manual transmissions are being used in more focused applications. Does anyone really want a 4-cyl Camry or Fusion with a manual transmission? I wouldn't and I love manual transmissions. Most of the performance cars that most people can afford are available or will be available (next GT3 is rumored to be available with a manual) with a manual. The cars I want to own some day---corvette, viper, Porsche sports car are all available in some form with a manual. Mercedes never did manuals to any appreciable degree and Audi just sucks. I'm not a huge Audi fan anyway though.

The bigger question isn't whether manuals are becoming extinct, but are people on a population scale growing tired of rowing their own gears in a performance car?

Actually yeah, if I were for some reason condemned to drive a Camry, I'd want a stick. I would die of boredom otherwise. I start driving automatics like a lunatic just because I need some stimulation.

There are still many, many sweet enthusiast cars that are not available with a stick. Including every Ferrari, McLaren and Lambo now. Can't get a Jag F-Type V8 with one. As you mentioned, no Mercedes (bummer about the C63, I really like that car otherwise). No CTS-V anymore. No Charger Hellcat.

Some manufacturers are doing a good job at keeping them alive (Porsche with the announcement that the new GT3 will be manual, BMW, American companies for the most part) but they're still becoming fewer and fewer.

[G80indy]

Yep
First new car out of college in 1988 was a Civic hatchback, stick shift. What a blast.

I drove a 340i sport 6sp Saturday and it was great. Even the rev matching was fun!
I lament that the convertibles in Xdrive do not have MT as an option.

[Rocket_Rod]

Originally Posted by New2Roundel

This is more of a complex question than I think the OP realized. I think at the moment, manual transmissions are being used in more focused applications.

The bigger question isn't whether manuals are becoming extinct, but are people on a population scale growing tired of rowing their own gears in a performance car?

Yeah, sorta gotta agree which is why its such a shame that most new so called sports cars are coming out in auto only. Car companies are trying to reach the masses and diluting what makes sports cars great. The fact that you can get a sports car with not only auto but stop/start and audio enhanced exhaust tones is why I think my cars (a V8 NA car in Manual) will be a classic one day.

The fact that most owners of sports cars have never seen a track and only care about the f-stop and shutter speed to use when taking rolling photos on the freeway is why I have lost faith in the future true drivers cars.