The final shift: Which manual transmission will be the last?

Despite the best efforts of car enthusiasts, the days of manual transmissions are coming to an end. Blame it on electrification, future self-driving technology, or the fact that kids these days don’t care about driving. when.

I’m not saying manuals will disappear anytime soon. Many companies continue to offer 3-pedal setups. But who will be the final resister, the last bastion of DIY gearboxes? Will it be a sports car or an out-of-leftfield contender? Explore some potential scenarios In doing so, go beyond the bounds of speculation.

Option 1: Porsche

Perhaps no other car company puts as much effort into stick-shifting as Porsche does. The German automaker offers his 6-speed and his 7-speed gearboxes on multiple models across its 718 and 911 car lines, despite competitors scrapping the manual option. , continue to provide.

Customers definitely appreciate this commitment. According to Porsche, when he decided to offer a six-speed manual in his 991 generation 911 GT3, he had nearly 80% adoption of this transmission. This vested interest is why Porsche decided to keep the manual alive in his 992 GT3 from the start. Sure, the manual GT3 is a lot slower than the company’s PDK dual-clutch automatic-equipped model in his all-important 0-60 mph dash, but it’s also no less fun.

“While the number of cars with manual transmissions across the industry is declining, many Porsche customers are opting for manual transmissions in the models we offer,” said the president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. One Shell Gruner told Ars: “One in three 911 customers opted for a manual as an option, and that number is even higher for the 718. For these drivers, the perfect 3/2 downshift into a corner. Nothing beats physical sensations.It just feels good.”

Option 2: cheap and cheerful

Porsche is certainly more devoted to its enthusiastic customer base than most companies, but it’s not the only automaker to tout the glory of manual driving. A cheap car can be the final source of salvation for manual holdouts.

The Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 twins are a prime example. According to Subaru, 71% of his BRZ customers currently opt for his six-speed manual transmission in the coupe. A Subaru spokesperson told Ars: “Overall, the take rate was around 70% for most of the BRZ’s development period.

And the Mazda MX-5 Miata, which symbolizes fun in all ages. The Japanese automaker has long said that the Miata will always be a core part of its lineup. Now, can you imagine a world without Miata offering a stick? Manual cars still make up about half of all sales for the fourth-generation Roadster.

Other small performance cars offer additional possibilities. Only his 6-speed manual gearbox is available for the Honda Civic Si sedan and Type R hatchback, and this transmission comes with an automatic rev-hi matching feature that makes it a little easier to shift yourself.