Manuals becoming an endangered species as automatic transmissions get advanced

Posted: Mar 24, 2011
 Email 10 Comments
BMW 1-Series M Coupe

BMW 1-Series M Coupe

Here is some sad new, the manual transmission has made it onto the endangered species list. According to data from Ward’s Auto, manual transmission sales in the United States hit a historical low of just 4.4 percent in 2010.

For most of the automotive history, the manual transmission was the choice for drivers who wanted the most out of their cars in terms of performance and fuel-economy.

So why are people switching over from manuals to automatics? Because new transmission technologies offer easier operation, better performance and higher fuel-efficiency than manuals. Fact is that today’s automatics are advanced enough to have more gears and use less fuel than manuals. Also, dual-clutch transmission also provide better performance.

Discussion Point: Do you prefer manuals or automatics? Let us know in the comments section after the jump.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Free Press


Share |  Email  Print |




Subscribe & Connect

Connect with us on any of our social profiles below.

Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates.

  • Lee Sherman

    I purchased a new Porsche Boxster Spyder last year with a 6spd manual. It’s such a phenomenal car. No matter that their PDK is performs better, in the real world I don’t drive it to its limit where there is the slightest performance edge. PDK equals ‘automatic’ 90% of the time. With a manual, I feel like I’m driving the car, whereas with PDK I feel like I’m riding in it.

  • Justturnonred1974

    I have driven manual all my life and really really really do not want to see it go. Hopefully, some car will still have offer manual down the road. I just love the excitment of driving it. I know dual clutch; PDK, etc are nice but just don’t do it for me. Please save the stick for people like us.

  • Justturnonred1974

    I have driven manual all my life and really really really do not want to see it go. Hopefully, some car will still have offer manual down the road. I just love the excitment of driving it. I know dual clutch; PDK, etc are nice but just don’t do it for me. Please save the stick for people like us.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Robert-Dollar-Van-Dell/1765129288 Robert Dollar Van Dell

    Booooo!!!!!

  • Myluv4movies

    Nothing out there compares to a manual. Even when it comes to repairs the manual comes out ahead as the cheapest to fix

  • http://www.facebook.com/GoGoGoblin Bob Lyons

    manuals all the way. both my cars have 5-speeds. I don’t think that it’s because Americans refuse to buy vehicles with manuals but rather it’s easier/quicker/cheaper for companies to get their cars certified for sale in the US by offering automatics as the only transmission.

    Most of my friends that have switched to automatics have done so because they cannot find vehicles they want to buy that also offer manuals – some even borrow my cars every now and then just to drive a stick again…

  • http://www.facebook.com/GoGoGoblin Bob Lyons

    exactly. And I even doubt the fuel economy bonus of newer automatics as people drive cars with manuals and automatics completely differently.

  • http://www.facebook.com/GoGoGoblin Bob Lyons

    I owned one car with an automatic, and decided never again… I’ve resigned to buying and Audi or BMW as my next car. Maybe a Saab once the non-GM models start production. I cannot imagine those 3 companies giving up on manuals even in America.

  • Cdnsolman

    Its because we all ridiculous drivers in North America. It’s too hard to drink coffe while texting if we also have to worry about shifting. We can bearly even steer the things properly. Europe still sells piles of them, cause they actually drive there.

  • Deadonarrival

    They need to still offer manual transmissions. I highly doubt that only 4.4% of all cars sold here in the USA last year were manual transmissions…. If the standard transmission disappears, you better believe I’ll be doing swaps on the weekends. ;)