No More ManualTransmissions for Supercars
It had to happen sometime. The end is in sight for manual transmissions, at least for Ferrari and Lamborghini, and if two of the most successful supercars are ready to drop the stickshift it won't be long before lesser cars fall in line. A Ferrari factory representative recently said the new 458 Italia would never see a manual transmission attached to its V-8, for the technology is slow and outdated. Anyone watching the instantaneous shifts of an F1 car on TV would have to agree.
According to Ward's Automotive Group, 91 percent of 2009 model-year cars sold in the United States were automatics. So the average car buyer is never going to be concerned over the unavailability of stickshifts. Attitudes are a little different in Europe, where people will buy a manual for an entry-level economy car, whereas North Americans see them as something for enthusiasts. You can easily rent a car with manual transmission in Europe… try that in the US or Canada. Chances are the guy who moves them around the lot doesn't even known how to manage a stick.
When I learned to drive everyone drove a manual. There was no choice. Either you shifted or you got out. And of course people learned because otherwise they'd never qualify for a license. I believe it made for better drivers because we felt connected with the car and soon discovered that a manual transmission, if properly used, offered superior car control. As well, a manual is more fun. There's a sense of accomplishment in manipulating gears, clutch and accelerator to make the vehicle behave as you'd like it to. It's even more fun when you know how to select the best gear for coming in and out of the turns, for accelerating up hills or slowing on downhills, and for choosing the safest gear for driving on snow or ice. If you know how to double-clutch, better still. And if you've been taught the techniques of heel-and-toe, you're almost ready to be a road racer or rally driver.
Manual transmissions are not going to disappear overnight but, like dial telephones, typewriters, and VHS recorders, they will eventually become a thing of the past. A shame, really, yet technology has a way of making things outdated. Today's younger generation, raised on devices that function with a touch of the fingertip, will be the first to turn its backs on manual transmissions and when that happens, the good times will be over. Enjoy them while you still can.
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