May22
Probably since the invention of the automatic transmission, no reviewer worth his or her salt could admit that they didn’t prefer a manual transmission. When we’re reviewing a car, like a Jaguar XKR, for example, that doesn’t offer a stick shift, we have to say that we’re sorry this car doesn’t allow us to row our own or someone might threaten to revoke our gearhead credentials. But in our view, this old way of thinking — which continues to be inherited by young car enthusiasts — is arguably ludditic and without much merit.
When reviewing the 20 or so cars that I drove over the recent two-day Western Automotive Journalists media test event in Monterey, California, what came through very clearly was the extent to which transmissions have changed and improved in the past few years.
When I started driving, things were much simpler. It was absolutely essential to learn how to use a clutch and be able to change gears smoothly to prove you were a real driver. If the car you were driving didn’t have “four on the floor,” it just wasn’t cool. An automatic transmissions was something that your mother and father preferred for the family’s Oldsmobile station wagon.
There were certainly some good reasons to prefer a manual transmission for driving performance: In order to provide smooth gear changes without a clutch, the automatic transmission relied on a torque converter (essentially two propellers with fluid between them) to transfer power from the engine to the wheels, which was inherently inefficient. Until very recently, automatics had only two gears, so much of the time the engine was able to use only a fraction of the torque it was capable of generating. Finally, relying on valves and hydraulics to change gears, the automatic was slow when changing ratios and often chose to change gears at an awkward moment.
Sure, there were some problems with the standard transmission: it was challenging to learn to use, requiring finesse to release and engage the clutch while shifting gears and delivering exactly the right amount of throttle through the process. Races frequently were lost because a driver made a mistake in this process on just one of the thousand or more precise gear changes required during a long race. On the street, as traffic became more congested, the need to push and release the clutch frequently in stop-and-go situations was hard on both the car and driver.
But, bottom line, it was more efficient than the automatic in transferring power and allowing the engine to run within its optimal power range, it was lighter, and in the hands of a good driver, was able to change gears considerably faster than the automatic.
But things are changing more rapidly than I think many enthusiasts would like to admit. At Laguna Seca, the high-performance luxury cars we were driving were invariably equipped with automatic transmissions for the simple reason that the manufacturers say that there’s almost no demand for manual transmissions on say, a Maserati or high-end Mercedes. However, the improvements that have been made over the past five years have tackled all of the problems inherent in the old “slush boxes” and significant progress is being made.
Though all the cars we were driving still employed torque converters, manufacturers have found various ways to make positive clutch-like connections at certain engine speeds to improve efficiency. In what is likely to be a more effective long-term solution, Mercedes has just announced that it will be replacing the torque converter with a multi-plate wet clutch on AMG models, similar to Volkswagen’s much-praised DSG. Without a doubt, we can expect to see that technology start trickling down through the price chain — almost every automaker is working on some form of automated dual-clutch transmission.
To improve the efficient use of the the engine’s power band, modern automatics now offer five to eight separate gear ratios, with the Maserati tranny offering seven, so the efficiency issue is also pretty much a thing of the past.
It has generally been possible to control the gear ratio in an automatic transmission in some manner under specific conditions (forcing the car to start in its highest gear in icy conditions, or to stay in its lowest gear to use engine braking in a long hill descent, for example). Now, with the additional gears and the incorporation of paddles or buttons for transmission control, as inspired by open-wheel racing, nearly every “performance automobile” from the Maserati to the MINI offers a means to manually control what gear is being used.
In addition, as computer controls get more sophisticated, many of these cars offer adaptive or manual adjustments to the speed at which the shift occurs, and many can actually blip the throttle on downshifts to match rpm, increasing the speed, smoothness and efficiency of the gear changes.
While most drivers play with these “slappy paddles” for awhile and then go back to leaving the car in the full automatic mode, the controls are very useful for track driving, where you want to be able to make sure the car not only is in the proper gear to go into a corner, but also doesn’t decide to upshift just at the point you want to accelerate out of the corner.
The combination of all these changes means that automatic transmissions in the better cars are becoming nearly as efficient in performance and nearly as satisfying in use as manual transmissions for the even-slightly-above-average driver’s needs and desires. This isn’t just a matter of opinion — some of Porsche’s Tiptronic models are actually faster than their manual counterparts with even an above-average driver behind the wheel.
On the other side of the parking lot, the technology in those electronically controlled competition transmissions has also started trickling into everyday use. These new automatic manual gear boxes are replacing the clutching and rev-matching aspects of the manual transmission with computer-controlled hydraulics while retaining the inherent efficiencies of the traditional clutch.
BMW was one of the first to introduce a sequential-manual gearbox (SMG), which used an electronically controlled clutch to replace the manual clutch and gearshift in its “M” cars. Unfortunately, though as efficient in energy transmission, it was not as fast as a manual clutch or as smooth as an automatic.
On the other hand, Audi and Volkswagen took a different approach, which looks as if it is going to be a long-term solution to the problem. By using a dual-clutch system with one clutch for the even-numbered and one for the odd-numbered gears, their system allows one gear ratio to be in use with its clutch engaged while the next likely gear ratio is being selected with its clutch disengaged. When the driver is ready for the next ratio, a push or pull of the paddle causes the clutches to disengage and engage simultaneously, changing gear ratios within a fraction of a second.
This approach is now being developed by BMW for the new M3, and will be a standard offering in Porsche, Nissan, Volvo, and Mitsubishi cars in the near future. It doesn’t require much of a crystal ball to foresee that within five years, every manufacturer offering a “sport” anything – compact, sedan, or activity vehicle – will have to offer this type of dual-clutch gearbox to stay competitive.
So where does all that lead us? With my flame-retardant underwear on, I’d suggest that we’ll be seeing improved automatic transmissions, with positive engagement capabilities, in 80 percent or more of all cars sold.
I believe that for two reasons. First, for most of us and most of our driving, we believe we have better things to do with our hands and minds than controlling the gear we’re in every second that we’re driving, so automatics will be preferred by more and more drivers. It’s just really tough to shift gears while holding that latté and simultaneously checking text messages.
Second, greater efficiency will be necessary on automatic transmission cars if manufacturers are going to meet the new average fuel efficiency standards, so anything that improves power transmission is going to be adopted.
Similarly, I believe that on high-performance automobiles where every second and ounce counts, within five years or so electronically-actuated dual-clutch manual transmissions will be more desirable than manual transmissions by any high-performance driver. Any manufacturer who doesn’t offer a dual-clutch manual as the alternative to the automatic transmission won’t be considered to be competitive.
By that time, clutch-operated manual transmissions will be on their way out as sure as the manually-controlled spark advance was once made obsolete by springs and vacuum-advance, and then all of that was replaced by computerized ignition controls.
I’m sure when that happens, many current enthusiasts will talk nostalgically about the days when they did their own declutching and shifted gears by manually pushing them into place, just as my older friends now talk about having had to master the skill of shifting a non-synchronized crash box. By then, the skill to use a manual gearbox will only matter to a handful of unreconstructed vintage car racing drivers.
And let’s not forget that often-quoted adage that every technology becomes perfected just as it becomes obsolete. Mercedes certainly learned to perfect the torque-converter-based automatic, and now it’s being phased out. As for DSG, it could well be the transmission technology of choice for decades to come, but if electric cars eventually catch on — as they probably will — this whole discussion might be made moot. It only takes a few minutes behind the wheel of a Tesla Roadster (with its electric motor and two-speed transmission) to be convinced where things are headed next.
Words by Gary Anderson
I remember having to pick up Jaguar transmission castings as part of the manufacturing process. Those things were huge and heavy. Low part rate/count (’production’) for the day, too.
I will still drive a stick, anytime, anyday, any year. nothing beats the benefits of having control on your hands and the 3 pedals under your feet. want better fuel efficiency? the manual is the way to go. I can’t believe no one has ever mentioned that this would be one way to get better fuel economy. it will also keep on shifting and shifting and and will keep on doing so. I will kick and scream if they leave this world…
If I hear one more person claim that Manuals are going to die solely because the newer Automatics offer the same level of performance, I’m gonna friggin’ scream.
Most people who continue to want to drive Manuals don’t do so for the performance. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who prefers a Manual but will tell you that it’s any faster than the new Automatic-Manual Alternatives or even many straight-up Slushboxes. They continue to drive the Manual for the EXPERIENCE of actually DRIVING their car.
The article is correct, Manuals aren’t for most in the US, or even a majority. Most drivers just feel like doing other stuff other than driving, and Manuals just make that hard. But that’s why Manuals are already an EXTREMELY small minority of cars sold here — low single-digit market penetration.
Automatics have ALREADY come and taken away the people that don’t want to worry about shifting while drinking their lattes. Or the people that don’t care about losing some performane for convenience. Those people have been driving Automatics for a while.
The real question is do the new alternatives — DSGs and the like — satisfy the demands of the current Manual holdouts? And I would argue that, for the vast majority of that admittedly small market, that they do not. DSGs and the like offer Automatic drivers a solution to their problems (primarily related to various performance issues), but they don’t appeal to MOST current Manual drivers. The advent of these technologies isn’t making a significant dent in the marketshare of Manuals, all it does is provide Automatic owners an option of getting their convenience and also their performance.
We’ve already seen a perfect example of this when BMW released their new M5 here in the States a couple years ago. BMW said that the DSG offered superior performance and it would be all they’d offer here in the US. And what happened? The car didn’t sell. They had to go back and put a Manual in the thing to get it to sell in the volume they needed it to.
The small market of Manuals in the US aren’t holding out strictly for performance reasons. They’re buying manuals because they want to DRIVE their vehicles. They’re the types of people that buy a Miata because it’s just a damn fun car to drive, performance figures be damned.
Come up with a transmission that allows BOTH/EITHER Computer or Human control, and you’ll have something that would convert the Manual holdouts. Like the Automatics owners with DSGs, a solution like that would provide them with their convenience when they want it (like stuff in the traffic) and their driving experience when they want that.
I always laughed when my neighbors in San Francisco chose stick shift cars because they thought they were more Eurocool and then had rollback issues at the junctions on top of hills and burnt out clutches every 3 months. Sticks are great at the track, but on a straight interstate or stuck on the 405 at rush hour, give me an auto box every time. The new DSGs from VW Audi rock.
what a joke of an article, only racers consider manual’s primary benefit efficiency… you’ve totally ignored the connection to the machine which is everyone else’s #1 reason for choosing it over automatic. sure, auto is great for cruising, but when you’re blasting down a long winding road, there’s nothing more satisfying than dropping 2nd.
oh, and manual will never be obsolete as a transmission in internal combustion engines, regardless of how efficient autos become, there will always be demand for manuals, from enthusiasts and for use in low cost cars. you also ignore the fact that the majority of the world outside the US drives manual, why should they change to a more complex, expensive option when they’re (predominantly) happy with what they’ve got. It is only when/if electric/hydrogen power becomes common that autos will be (obviously) standard.
To me, a manual clutch keeps you more engaged with the car. There’s nothing worse than a driver with a latte who’s checking text messages while doing their makeup and reading the newspaper. When you’re behind the wheel, your focus should be on driving. Otherwise take the bus.
Recent reviews of the new Dodge Challenger seemed to capture the major flaw of the automatic transmission: reviewers said they just felt too disconnected from the experience, too much like they were in a video game. When I’m in the driver’s seat of a performance car, I want to have the control and feedback of that third pedal; I don’t just want to press magic buttons behind the steering wheel. Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear recently took a ride in an M3 that was completely computer-controlled to race the whole track BY ITSELF. An amazing engineering achievement and a fun (if scary) ride, but it’s still more of a “ride” and less of a “drive.”
And what will happen to the quick engine rev at the red light? Revving an automatic by clicking down to neutral is just not the same…
Did I really just read “until very recently automatics had only 2 gears???”
My 27 year old Oldsmobile has 4 gears, and I’m pretty sure my friends 54 Cadillac has 4 gears as well.
In fact the Powerglide (the 2 gear auto) hasn’t been sold in 30 years.
taking a drive in a dsg gti, I got bored after awhile, even if it had the neat dsg tech, the stick version made it feel more alive, just like any car with a stick.
cruiserofland: I certainly agree.
and driving a auto on one car just feels like the same thing on other cars with an auto. and in thailand, bangkok has some of the worst traffic ever, but many drive a stick galore. manual transmission owns.
I can let my breath out now. SigmaHyperion pretty much covered my rant. Nicely said. Just add me to that list of those who will drive standard until I’m physically incapable of doing so.
If you learnt to drive in Europe a stick aint all that
All this talk even though the facts are clear…
Manual transmissions have one thing left in this world; their novelty value. The new automatics especially the ones with performance paddle shifters are better economically, faster at shifting, they do perfect blips and such, and on top of all that they do not require you to raise your hands off the wheel. The point of the matter is that manual transmissions are totally obsolete, this can be easily seen in racing. Look at any class of racing from GT1 and GT2 class racing up to Le Mans premiere and F1 racing; they all use six speed sequential “jaw-tooth” gearboxes or in the case of F1 paddles shifters. Both of these transmissions are considered automatic or “automated manuals” and they are used to control the fastest racing machines in the world. From what I have gathered from the comments here everyone who is a manual gearbox fan can only comment on how autos will never have the same “feel” as a manual. Paddles are way way faster than a stick so I guess you can have your manual box and you will be having it with the “feel” of 2nd place.
I completely agree with FeintApex.
Although I do love a good old manual transmission, you will never get me to believe that the AVERAGE driver will get better overall fuel economy using one because most people I see driving their manual Corolla’s etc. always let the engine rev up way too high to get any sort of fuel economy out of their particular engine. I’m sure a lot of you know better so, don’t get me wrong. I’m talking about all the senior citizens and teenage girls that make up like 70% of the population where I live. At least it seems that way. It’s called a torque converter lockup clutch. A lot of the newer 5- and 6-speed autos activate it from as low as 2nd gear to maximize fuel economy. Traffic gets EXTREMELY congested during rush hour so a stick just won’t do.
Bottom line: For overall fuel economy- A modern automatic. For pure driving pleasure and maximum power transfer when your shoe is full of lead- A good old-fashioned manual.
I love shifting the gears in a car. I’m loathing the day when I’m ready to get a luxury car and can’t get the mother ****er in standard. Can you get a Cayenne in 6-speed manual?
Well said, everyone who said that manual transmissions are not dead. They never will be, as long as enthusiasts still want to drive their cars.
But, we have to look at the other side of this as well. There are huge benefits to most people who would otherwise be driving autos for the reasons listed above…..regular rush hour commute, steep hilly area with frequent stops, etc…..these people can have a regular everday livable auto and can also have a car they can thrash at the track when they want to.
Also, many of the video game generation, may prefer a paddle syle DSG gearbox. Just look at the Nissan GT-R, you can’t get much closer to a drivable playstation than that. But this will still never replace the true connection of driving a manual trans car the way it was meant to be driven.
The only manual option for the Cayanne Sport Ugly Vehicle is the Cayenne GTS. For an SUV this apparently gives a pretty good driving experience.
Manual transmissions are like non-index, downtube shifting bicycles — just a matter of time until extinctino.
Dual clutch transmissions destroy everything. Manual enthuiasts grow up, and have a gigantor glass of STFU on me.
F3INT))AP3X
the manual transmission will never be obsolete in internal combustion engined cars, a modern auto will never be cheap enough to satisfy the low end of the market.
yes modern autos are faster than manuals but we arnt all racers, we just enjoy driving. i dont care about milliseconds.
That’s a decent point Zip but someday not too far off automatics will be standard and will be almost as cheap to produce compared to whatever new transmission they will have out.
lol at manual enthusiasts
driving is a lot more than shifting. driving is choosing the line, controlling throttle and brake, weight transfer, left foot braking on fwd cars (hard if your left foot is used to a clutch), etc
having a semiautomatic transmission allows one to concentrate things like choosing the line and steering(two hands on steering wheel always beats one). check out the latest fast 7:59 CTS-V nurburing time. it was one with an automatic.
the only reason different gears exist is because gasoline engines are peaky. shifting is not an intrinsically essential part of driving.
you can say you love manual cuz you love shifting, but loving manual because you love driving doesn’t even make sense.
are F1 racers not drivers?
btw the US is not the only place where most people drive automatics. almost no new cars are manual here in taiwan either. no one wants to deal with that **** in traffic. in 10 years, the same will apply to europe.
im sure there will be the manual niche market until you guys all die out in a hundred years or so, but it’ll probably become more expensive.
and stop saying that if you are an enthusiast, you drive manual. there are enthusiasts that prefer automated transmissions too.
ps, imagine if the shifter was replaced with a knob that allowed you to control distribution of brakes or throttle. wouldn’t that be much better than having a manual transmission?
“and stop saying that if you are an enthusiast, you drive manual. there are enthusiasts that prefer automated transmissions too.”
nobody said you had to. my neighbor isn’t much of a car enthusiast as his chevy astro van he uses for his carpentry and the stick tacoma he uses to haul out trash, why a stick in his truck? well it can withstand the severe stress while dealing and hauling heavy loads.
There will be a day when the old trusty manual will disappear completely. But that day will only come when we stop driving our cars and they drive themselves. I don’t feel we are too far from that, as many people try to do that even today. The latte example is just one, because there are many people that do many other things besides driving while they are in the driver’s seat, like eat, shave, do hair, send sms messages, have sex, etc. It seems we want to do anything but drive our cars, which on a long daily commute may save time, but at this moment in time it is a very dangerous school of thought. If we could just take the driving aspect out altogether, that time could be used for more important stuff, like responding to LLN posts. But at that future time, choosing a car will be like choosing living room furniture. We’ll focus on the most comfortable seats, and the best TVs and electronics. Trust me, it isn’t going to be long before we just ride our cars. Man, will that ever be boring.
and the many screw-ups you make in a stick will definetly go against you.
ps, imagine if the shifter was replaced with a knob that allowed you to control distribution of brakes or throttle. wouldn’t that be much better than having a manual transmission?
Comment by Nr9, posted on May22 at 8:20 pm
of course it would, but maintaining it would be somewhere beyond replacing the clutch on a stick.
…and when having a computer functions your actions, what would happen if it shuts down competely? right.
“”and stop saying that if you are an enthusiast, you drive manual. there are enthusiasts that prefer automated transmissions too.”
nobody said you had to. my neighbor isn’t much of a car enthusiast as his chevy astro van he uses for his carpentry and the stick tacoma he uses to haul out trash, why a stick in his truck? well it can withstand the severe stress while dealing and hauling heavy loads.”
you obviously can’t read. i never said that only enthusiasts drive manuals. i said that some enthusiasts prefer autos.
“ps, imagine if the shifter was replaced with a knob that allowed you to control distribution of brakes or throttle. wouldn’t that be much better than having a manual transmission?
Comment by Nr9, posted on May22 at 8:20 pm
of course it would, but maintaining it would be somewhere beyond replacing the clutch on a stick.”
the hardware is already there with stability control systems.
“…and when having a computer functions your actions, what would happen if it shuts down competely? right.”
the chance of a computer shutting down is much less than that of a human falling asleep
Sorry to make the ’stick forever in trucks’ people cry but trucks only have manual trannies to have the extra gears to move larger loads. With 7 and 8 speeds autos out there and an ever increasing number of high payload trucks moving to autos, yes even in Europe, the truck manual transmission is on the way out too. VERY few manual transmissions cost less than the standard autos in the car now anyway, so building the cheaper car with a stick in it isn’t a valid point. Say what a LARGE majority of manual drivers actually feel, they feel special and superior to those people driving an automatic, it has nothing to do with the actual driving experience but a feeling of superiority.
“Sorry to make the ’stick forever in trucks’ people cry but trucks only have manual trannies to have the extra gears to move larger loads. With 7 and 8 speeds autos out there and an ever increasing number of high payload trucks moving to autos, yes even in Europe, the truck manual transmission is on the way out too.”
I’m applying to compact and mid-size trucks, and was I suppose to cry? I still prefer the stick.
“…and when having a computer functions your actions, what would happen if it shuts down competely? right.”
Elevators, subways, monorails, trams, trains, buses, airplanes, some boats…
Many things are driven by computers. Cars are about the only thing left that isn’t. And when the computer shuts down completely, the backup one comes on. That’s why these things have redundant computer systems. However, even then they aren’t infallible. In fact, many people die because of failure of the computer systems. But I’m willing to bet a car with a manual transmission that more people die while commuting because of human error every year than by all of the computer controlled systems put together.
Oh, by the way, I didn’t say I like the idea of a computer driving my car, I just said that day is soon coming.
“the chance of a computer shutting down is much less than that of a human falling asleep
Comment by Nr9, posted on May22 at 8:34 pm”
I’d rather not have a computer run my actions for me as it will do other crazy **** that I wouldn’t want happening to anyone.
“Elevators, subways, monorails, trams, trains, buses, airplanes, some boats…
Many things are driven by computers. Cars are about the only thing left that isn’t. And when the computer shuts down completely, the backup one comes on. That’s why these things have redundant computer systems. However, even then they aren’t infallible. In fact, many people die because of failure of the computer systems. ”
I agree that everything runs with a computer but with the car, you can do what you want, whenever as opposed to other means of transportation (save boats).
“I’m willing to bet a car with a manual transmission that more people die while commuting because of human error every year than by all of the computer controlled systems put together.”
thats subjective, obviously I’m not saying this is or isn’t true.
and the car is personal, unless you’re running a lease. anyone can quickly fix a glitch in any sorts of public transportation without having passengers paying it. the car, however, is much of a personal belonging and the owner has the responsibility to maintain the car. something that goes wrong with it and the owner has to run to the dealership to get it fixed, except if its under warranty, lease, etc. I just prefer to not have a computer control my actions for me (in terms of what gear I want to be in)
Cars will be driven by computers and Honda and GM are developing fully robotic cars. Future is in automation. Having said that, driving a car with slush box it’s like ****ing with a condom. To each his own.
Sorry, it was a scientific explanation above.
you are more likely to do crazy **** than a computer would
for some, driving a car with a slush box would be like ****ing without foreplay
Expensive piece of crap to rebuild.
Replace a clutch disk in a stick and you go.
Stupid author.
Not so long ago, F1 cars had automatic CVT transmissions (the upward shifts were automatic). The reason high performance cars have auto ‘boxes is that 99 percent of the owners would not manage to move them an inch (or 2.54 centimeters
) from a standpoint.
Why would I want to change gears in the morning rush hour commute every two seconds, and using pretty much only neutral, first and second, is beyond me. And would anyone use clutch on an open road, too.
I have an automatic with manual option shifts which are usefeul only at overtaking on B-roads or in the hills. I can kick in the transmission into whichever gear I like only using my right foot and my fuel consumption is better than 80 percent of the drivers of the same car would ever achieve.
I know many people who wouldn’t buy an automatic because it’s not a “proper” car, but driving with them is pain - for me, the clutch, the engine and the ‘box itself.
I talked to a guy from AW Europe at the Frankfurt Motoshow last year (Aisin AW Group is one the largest auto transmission maker in the world, the 8-speed ‘box in the Lexus is their product) who told me plain that most people are not able to able to use manual transmissions to gain from the benefits they have over auto boxes. Which matches my personal experience.
The other thing is that you have to learn to drive with an auto ‘box. It’s not just about foot on the pedal. Even people who are excellent with manual boxes can struggle with “automatons”. My brother, for example, he can drive the Mazdaspeed 6 (Mazda 6 MPS, actually) like the devil and still get bellow Mazda’s mpg figures. But it took him a good while to get to the numbers I was getting on my automatic Mazda3 (bellow official mpg). I drove many autoboxes over the years and each behaved differently, you just need to learn it like any clutch in order to get best results.
I can actually drive a manual car, OK, I don’t like the clutch, but that’s it. I coached a few people to drive a manual telling them when to shift. They, of course, knew that I didn’t like manual boxes so they were surprised “how do I know”. I know, I just don’t like to do stuff I consider useless. I can set up and repair computer with the messed up Windows, I can actually build a computer, but I use a Mac because tweaking Windows is waste of resources. And it’s the same with manual boxes.
BTW, I’m from Europe
My torque converter lock-up engages at 45 MPH.
In Soviet Russia, transmission shifts YOU!!
Htay9500, I totally understand what you are saying, and I agree with you. Unfortunately, you and I cannot stop the future. Again, I never said I wanted to ride in my car, just that this model is where the future of personal transportation is headed. I’m going to do whatever I can to hang on to my trusty manual transmission as long as possible. But I highly doubt my daughters will be driving their cars. Having a computer drive my car will be boring to me, and it will probably feel something like my wife’s driving (without the other cars honking, of course). But at least I will be able to watch that show that I would normally miss, or catch up on my LLN comments, or enjoy Chinese food while commuting. However, I won’t be able to challenge the guy next to me to a race, neglect phone calls because I’m driving, pull off at the last second to an AM/PM just because I have the urge for a Coke, and other things I normally do when I have the control. I don’t like the idea of not having control of my car. Heck, I don’t even like having to carpool to work when the other guy drives. Hopefully, the carmakers will do something along the lines of the cars in iRobot, where we have an autopilot version and the ability to switch to manual drive whenever we want. I guess all we can do is wait and see…
“In Soviet Russia, transmission shifts YOU!!”
Olds307, that was outrageously funny! I had a car like that once. That comment brought back some fond memories (not of the car but of old times). Thanks for that.
Of all places as a Canadian kid, I drove my first car for real in Florida in a ‘66 Chevelle ‘3 on the tree’ while on a swim trip in the early ’70s. I’ll never forget that night, pissed on Budweiser, 13 years old and driving a car with a transmission that had no discernible markings only the equally pissed son of the owner of the car telling me what to do. But I got it. And I’ve been hooked ever since.
This has probably been the best thread since Lutz went off about global warming. Let the battle lines be drawn. It’s a great debate. Technology is a wonderful thing, but I’ll find the last piece of junk on the road before I die if it has 3 pedals instead of two.
Amen Johnnycanuck - like button-fly jeans and John Lee Hooker, some things are meant to stay the same forever.
One day all the CPUs in all the cars will become self-aware and it will be like “Maximum Overdrive” by Stephen King. When that day comes, you’ll be glad you’re driving a dumb Panther or Cavalier.
Only with a manual can you get the mileage I get in my BMW 545i. 32mpg on long runs between SF and San Deigo (530 miles) on a single, 18 gallon tank without refuelling. On the slopes, I coast in neutral- on the off ramps while slowing- I’m in neutral. 50 yards from a stop light, I’m coasting in neutral and listening (and loving) the sound of that free-wheeling V8 spinning down to 750-rpm. Cant do that with the smartest Tiptronic/auto. THey all have false neutrals that keep the revs higher, and keep looking for gears within a huge range of ratios.
SNICK-SNICK-SNICK. THe sound of the gears coming together in the PERFECT ratio. Manually. Human+machine=one, unified entity. THe sound authors like this article writer can’t figure out. No wonder they’re ready to write the manual off, whereas in Europe- they still sell 60 percent of all cars with manuals.
DEANSTER-TJ: Yes you can get the Cayenne with a 6 speed. I just test drove one here- its the Cayenne-S model. IT is superb. I had to back off because that V8 just CHUGS gas because of the Cayenne’s monstrous weight. it’s 1,400 lbs heavier than my 545i. That’s like carrying driver+4 passengers weighing 150lbs each+ an equal amount of weight in gas and luggage.
I took it on an extended 50 mile drive to purely calculate economy- and the hog returned 11mpg, here in SF. I had to walk away even though it was a blast.
F3INT))AP3X, i agree with you totally… but most likely the change will happen as the push toward electric/hyrdogen as they require auto transmission due to the sheer amount of torque
sanfranmac, you do realise that you’re actually using more fuel if you’re coasting than if you’re using engine braking.
its good practice and safer to go down thru the gears
MANUAL FOREVER!..
Try to start automatic in 2nd or 3rd in snow and ice. You may spin wheels forever. Try to up shift in slippery conditions to minimize wheel spin with auto. I agree that in city traffic manual is painful. When driving in Boston or in NYC I prefer automatic (driving used for the luck of a better word it is standing in traffic with involuntary jerky motion forward every 2-3 minutes). True for LA, SF, London and any other big city with clogged arteries. But in “burbs” & on highway ther is very little use of automatic and the feeling is definitely not the same as auto.
fat fingers meant to say “not the same as manual”
Manual is less complex, less costly, lighter, more efficient, more reliable, no over-heat issues. I dont text, I use hands free. I dont drink coffee, I drink micro brews. I dont do traffic and I can E brake on hill start. Whats the arguement?
I still think, and I don’t think that anybody else has really considered this, is that CVT’s are the way to go. Nissan’s replaced half as many transmissions as before, they have infinite ratios, are simple, cheap and easy to replace, and are quiet.
I like shifting, and hearing the engine shift, but even many of the newer CVT’s imitate gear changing, and can do a number of different things. I would like to see a CVT hooked up to a transmission atleast, for the sole purpose of decreasing RPM’s when needed. It would be great on mid-size to full size trucks.
Ever since I learned to drive a stick, and had my first car (that was a stick) driving other cars that were automatics were just boring. I’ll definitely be a “clutcher for life”.
It used to be that sticks were quicker, and were more fuel efficient, but with the advancements in technology that’s changed, now the clutchless manuals, DSG’s, CVT’s, etc are getting quicker and more efficient, and that’s never a bad thing.
While I haven’t driven anything using a DSG, or clutchless manual, I have driven auto’s with manual shifting which is a little different, but to me the experience of a manual, using both feet, and your hand will never be replaced by any automatic tranny.
What if they made an H pattern 6 speed automatic and then mounted the reverse gear and parking brake and all that on the dash like Aston Martin does. No clutch pedal but still a 6 speed gated H pattern shifter?
I test drove two GTI’s a while back. Both were white. Both had the sweet plaid seats. Both had 6 disc changers. Both had sunroofs. One was a 6-speed, one was a DSG. If I could’ve afforded the darn thing, I would have bought the 6-speed then and there. Hands down. The DSG was cool. Really cool. And really smooth. But it was boring to drive. The manual car brought chills to my spine and sent my grin from ear to ear. I laughed out loud while driving it. I did fishtails in the Walgreen’s parking lot. It was fun, and I connected emotionally to the vehicle. THAT’S why the manual transmission will not die.
This is a good article but this paragraph here:
—-BMW was one of the first to introduce a sequential-manual gearbox (SMG), which used an
—-electronically controlled clutch to replace the manual clutch and gearshift in its “M” cars.
—-Unfortunately, though as efficient in energy transmission, it was not as fast as a manual clutch or as —-smooth as an automatic.
is TOTALLY INCOMPETENTLY written. SMG is one of the fasters gearboxes even today…. !
The Mercedes 7 speed auto and Lexus 8speed…r they different from the twin clutch technology mentioned in the article?
I’m just glad my gf prefers manuals also… She rocks by default.
I cannot enjoy the Astra I’m driving like I enjoy my much slower 18 year old 318is… RWD + Manual > FWD + Auto, but damn is FWD so much better in the rain!