Are You One Of the Few? BMW Says THE Only Reason A Manual Transmission Is Alive Is Because Of The US Enthusiast

Hell yeah! I'll keep this alive as long as I can. I don't care if I lose 3/10th of a second off the zero to 60... Its the experience and the feel of being more engaged with your machine. Don't get me started on paddle shifting. Its not the same thing. Pulling finger does not equal compressing calf muscle, dexterity to shift gear and modulate clutch to balance the connection between pressure plate and flywheel :-)

I HAVE been one of the few. I've been driving manual transmissions for several decades. I'm currently on my first automatic, in an SUV.

If I got a serious sports car or exotic, I'd want a stick, but even the big names like Ferrari and Lambo have all gone automatic. Porsche still offers sticks.

If you can not drive a manual,

you are not a driver,

you're a systems manager.

I happen to agree. Or you're a gamer and love the paddle flipper automatics.

Nonsense (although I learned on a 3 speed on the column)
That is equivalent to saying that you should not drink milk if you cannot milk a cow. And you should not take pictures if you do not know how to develop the film. (And I have done both too)

The world has progressed - and the manual transmission will soon become a thing of the past. Just as Hand Cranked starting and Tillers for steering have. I am far from young - yet I am willing to admit that CHANGE happens and either we keep up or get pushed aside.

Most new American Drivers today have not been IN a car that has a manual transmission - and even exotics not longer offer them. Eventually - the cost of designing them will not be worth the sales and they will be discontinued almost completely - as have steam powered cars and gas lamp fixtures - and outhouses. Those who think that you are worthless if you have never driven a stick - belong in a Museum - as relics of the past.

I only drive stick and I have to drive around Toronto on some of the most congested stop and go "parking lots" in North America (401, DVP, QEW) and would not have it any other way. My left leg should be 6" thicker from all the clutch pumping! Even in a 2.5 hours 3 block drive home I have never wished I had an automatic, a rocket launcher -hell yes.

Besides I like the extra control stick gives you in snow and keep all your limbs active which helps reduce unconscious nose picking which EVERY driver is guilty of. Automatics are just plain boring and dull the driver experience.

It's impossible for me at least to feel as connected or as one with a car that isn't stick. Besides with proper maintenance and knowing the correct way to drive stick, manual trannys last much longer and are cheaper to repair...

Nothing connects man to machine better than a manual, especially now that once great steering mechanisms have gone electric and unfeeling. Our choices have become more limited but I'm taking the Charlton Heston approach.."You will have to take mine from my cold dead hand!"

When more electric cars are offered, expect even less manuals. Frankly automakers should charge more for manuals since there are far less people buying them, and should only be special order.

bperlow, some manufacturers actually do charge extra for manual now.

It's been awesome reading all your comments on this. I refuse to drive anything but. It sucks that there are so few options nowadays. So many cars I'd love to get into, but they only make automatics.

Automatic transmissions are great if you drive like you are a passenger.

Or drive a crossover, luxury sedan, or...

I always enjoy watching manual transmission drivers from the rear-view of my Porsche w/ PDK.

Anyway, too hard to left-foot brake with a manual.

Supermoto, nobody said manuals are faster. Sure, hammering the throttle in an auto Porsche can still be thrilling, but it still "feels" different. Manual drivers are looking to drop their quarter mile time by 3/10 of a second. We love feeling connected. I know that eventually all manuals will be gone and that will be the day that I go from driving sports cars to riding in SUV's. I'd rather at least the the utility if it's no longer fun.

I'm on the fence on this issue. I totally get the feeling of control and being one with the machine when driving a manual. I think it should remain an option for enthusiast vehicles. I would never try to convince a hard core manual driver that they should switch to anything else. However, after driving manuals for years, I'm very happy with my current "automated manual" M-DCT transmission on the E90 M3. I personally feel it gives me all of the control one expects from a manual and I don't miss using my L leg on the clutch. And as supermoto says, it's faster.

As for real automatics, clearly, paddle shifted torque converter automatics feel different than automated manuals like PDK and M-DCT, and do sacrifice some performance, but I'd still rather have the feature than a straight PRNDL automatic. This does allow you to readily choose and hold a lower gear in specific situations.