Is this really happening?

[Dattebayo]

http://www.carponents.com/content/clutc ... ssions-136

I am a little confused, because I can still find several car companies that make manual transmission vehicles...

[lne937s]

Their numbers are actually a bit optimistic. According to the EPA, only 3.5% of MY2013 cars were sold with manuals (unlike the article's 5%) and manual transmissions now have no fuel economy benefit (versus an optimistic 15%).
http://epa.gov/fueleconomy/fetrends/197 ... r14023.pdf

However, on a site like this, it appears like there are more manual drivers than there actually are. And (based on a recent Autoblog article) manual transmission cars make up around 20% of press cars (more than 5 times what they make up of the new car market). There is undoubtedly some social/PR benefit to offering manual cars, although they are unlikely to be profitable with declining sales numbers and no price premium. Development of vehicles for global markets will likely keep a few models available here for at least the near future.

But with no performance or fuel economy benefit and limited marketability, manual transmissions are likely to continue to decline overall. However, I think there is hope for a few holdouts. I would think about it like analog music versus digital music... they still sell records to an enthusiastic few, but sales are not what they used to be.

[themadscientist]

I think the manual transmission's days are numbered. Eventually, the finishing move will be outlawing them for "safety."

Ten years from now, there will be a similar article about the scary, but rewarding activity of sex, with someone else. People are so pathetic and painfully ironic. They do a dozen things at a time and enjoy none of them because they can't focus on anything long enough. Poor empty shells. The last words they will utter as their heart beats for the last time is a ****ing Facebook status, "dead."

[float_6969]

My first thought was, "Hmmm, so maybe in 20-30 years, I won't have to worry about people trying to steal my cars anymore because they won't know how to drive them!" LOL

[Dattebayo]

My first thought was, "Hmmm, so maybe in 20-30 years, I won't have to worry about people trying to steal my cars anymore because they won't know how to drive them!" LOL

Actually, from what I've read somewhere, that's already a thing...