That'll make car shopping easy. I want a manual. Period!

I like the theft deterrent feature too:

 

I was just going to bring that up.

Most people look at manuals as a distraction. Ironic, isn't it?

 

There are other reasons why manuals aren't as popular with manufacturers.

If a car only comes with an automatic transmission, then they don't have to spend the extra engineering time and money to develop a manual transmission.

Manual transmission vehicles are more challenging to meet emisions requirements. Not to mention that there is more cost involved with the extra testing.

Manual transmissions require unique parts such as the clutch and brake pedals, dash panel, steering column, console, driveshaft, ECM, and possibly floor pan. Each of these unique parts requires its own tooling costs, and inventory tracking costs.

Manual transmissions complicate the assembly of the vehicle, since you have to train the workers to install either style of transmission - increasing costs.

These additional costs, along with the low percentage of sales, leads to a poor business case to produce manual vehicles.

Randy

 

Of course it's worth it! Driving a manual makes it for a much more enjoyable experience, even a truck. When I was in high school I had a part time job doing deliveries in the city. Used 2 trucks, one was a Ford cube van (V8 diesel, auto) and the other was a Japanese something turbo 4 cylinder diesel with 5-speed. Much slower, much less powerful, but it was a LOT more fun to drive and I preferred it to auto.

I understand that the group of people who prefer Manuals in North America are few. But, most europeans are the opposite. Hence the wide use of manual transmissions there.

 

CTS is exported to Europe, and that is one place where you shouldn't put your nose if you can't offer a manual transmission. Oftentimes the manufacturer has to consider its target group to see what ought and ought not to be offered.

There is only one car thus far where auto is rated to be more fuel efficient than manual - and that is Acura TSX. At the same time, it is mainly due to more aggressive gearing, because manual in that car is tailored to performance enthusiasts.

Some cars, especially small economy cars that Europe is populated with, will not handle the automatic. The power loss due to one is too great to justify installing it into a 1.2L 80 or 90 HP car. I do not have statistics, but most VW Jettas TDI that I see around here are manual.

It is really an awkward feeling the the car shifts gears for you while you are not anticipating a gear change - or if you would prefer to stay in the same gear because in x amount of seconds the road will climb uphill, or you'll need to pass a car. All too many times I wanted to pass a car on the highway in an auto, but when I punch it i have to wait for the tranny to downshift and by that time it might be too late to switch lanes.

 

Most transmissions are already developed and in use. They just have to drop them in. Camaro was using t-56, which was used by Corvette, which was used by Viper, etc... Transmissions are developed outside of specific cars.

This sounds interesting, I did not hear of this before. I am curious as to why.

This looks like a rather impressive list and it appears that it is a hurdle for a manufacturer to develop manual transmission cars. I would imagine that most development of a car takes into account whether one transmission choice or two or three will be offered. Such information is available beforehand, and any engineering required henceforth would accommodate such choices - perhaps developing only one steering column that would fit with both choices, or one floorpan that would accommodate auto and manual. I don't think 6-speed f-body floorpan is different from that of a manual, nor is dash or steering column any different.

 

However, those transmissions must be adapted to new vehicles, which requires vehicle specific parts.


One of the big problems has to do with emisions when the throttle is closed quickly in nuetral or with the clutch disengaged, or when there are other sudden changes in rpm. The airflow stops suddenly and rpms drop quickly, but it takes more time for the fuel system to react. This is not as much of an issue with automatics, since most people leave the car in drive.


If you have to accomodate multiple transmissions, then that puts additional constraints on the design. Additional restraints on the design increases the design difficulty and cost.

Randy

 

Unless some uselss do-good-for-naught tossers in a future govt. admin someday outlaw stickshift on some bonkers grounds that they make cars less safe or something banal, I think stick shifts will always be available - but that you will have to buy expensive niche vehicles to get a stick. I will never ever buy a performance vehicle for street use that doesn't have a good old stick and clutch pedal.

 

My next new car will absolutely be a stick, if I can help it. I drive through gridlock every morning. I've driven the Z28 several times to work this summer, and the stick has not bothered me at all. And as any LT1 owner can tell you, while it isn't '60s muscle-car hard, the clutch pedal in an LT1 is not terribly light by modern standards. However, I prefer it much more than the LS1-style lightened clutch pedal feel, where the pedal feels like it sort of "hangs..."

The only thing I really dislike about the GP is no stick. I see sticks staying stable only because the new cars kids like all have sticks. What fun is an SRT-4 or a Scion tC with an AT?????????

 

Manual trannys are VERY popular with younger people. I'm 25 and about 66% of my friends drive manual tranny cars. 50% of the cars I have owned have been manual.

 

I don't believe the corvette ever had the t-56.

 

Consider though, that the 5-6% of customers that would buy your car with a Manual will NOT buy it with an automatic. They'll go elsewhere. Most people I know that drive manuals wouldn't even be interested in a car with an auto. I'm one of them. Personally, I can't understand why nobody wants them. I've been driving them for 5 years and get bored as hell when I drive other people's cars. I'll take a stickshift four over an auto V8 car any day.

 

i can vouch for that
almost all my friends have a manual and the ones that don't are those granny type drivers that arent into cars and that you dont wanna be behind

 

It is a sad trend.....

 

I hope that the manual transmission does not fade away I think that if it borrowed some from the Nascar Manual transmissions I think it would solve some problems with people's complaints with using the clutch and using it in traffic and so on.

Far as I know the Nascar manual transmission is called a Jericho Transmisssion It still has a clutch and you can still use it as a regular manual transmission but thing is the nascar drivers can also shift gears without having to use the clutch. I think if the auto manufactures figured out a way to have a manual but the driver didn't have to always hold in the clutch and they could sit in traffic with their foot off of the clutch I say people's complaints would probally be solved plus bring back some enjoyment into driving for some.

I have not driven a manual in a car yet, but next car I get I'm going to make sure its a manual I just want to have the fun of changing my own gears, also it's quite fun dropping the clutch and leaving a cloud of smoke as well . But seriously I'm all for manual and it's a sad trend that they are not being used anymore.

Also these new manumatic transmissions seem like they are pretty cool though they don't offer having to use the clutch you can still change your gears when you want. If the 07 Camaro came with a manumatic option I would probally get that unless my girlfriend/wife down the road wanted to drive but hated a manual she could still borrow the car every once in a while and use the automatic but when i want to go have fun I can still get the fun of changing my own gears