Who sells more manual trans cars: Buick or Ferrari?

[AZhitman]

Great article - Answer inside...

[Jesda]

I could go for a Regal GS.

[AZhitman]

Looks like they left out the third pillar of Harley Earl's philosophy of car design.

[Jesda]

That's because ze vacky Germans designed it.

The Dodge Dart was initially sold with only a manual transmission. Only when autos began production did sales pick up.


I guess this is all a part of the slow march to self-driven cars.

[NolimitZ32]

After the invention of the autotragic transmission the manual was always bought by people who wanted more performance and an edge of over the auto in their cars, until the ealry 2000s that is when leaps in technology have taken autos and semiautos to performance territory not accessible to the human foot/hand combination. So it is only understandable that all of these performance cars are starting to be sold with a lack of a 3rd pedal. I personally do not like driving automatics for the same reason I don't like driving most Lexuses. I want my daily commute to be for lack of a better word "fun" and at the least make me feel. . . well. . . inspired to be behind the wheel. Obviously all this is not news to anyone who is remotely interested in cars (anyone who will be reading this) so I guess me typing all this was a moot point but I feel that there is just too much bitching and moaning about the dissapearance of the true manual well there isnt much I or you can do about it except holding on to our good old . . . old cars. Also I say Kudos to GM for keeping the manual around in cars like buicks and G8s (while they were around). Also what needs to be noted is that the American market is flooded with autos because Americans in the majority are lazy and have no desire to press a clutch or shift. I am currently working in Australia and it is very refreshing to know that 4 out of 5 people you meet are capable of driving a vehicle with a 3rd pedal and 3 out of 5 own such a ride.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I feel like if Australia took over this country, I'd be perfectly OK with it.

[Bubba1]

The answer to the subject question is why I have zero interest in purchasing a new Ferrari versus an old 1960's front engine multi weber carbed V12 manual transmission model- (insert Tim Allen grunt). I know Ferrari could care less about folks like me because they have a long waiting list of people willing to pay big bucks for those technological terrors regardless of their transmission.

I suppose when you invest 10's of millions developing a race transmission that shifts in milliseconds, and a large portion of your customers that never ever even heard of the term heel/toe, and deep enough pockets to afford the outrageous repair costs when (not if) they break without griping, I can fully understand Ferrari putting them in their passenger cars.

But I have less of a problem with an exotic car maker like Ferrari doing that than a manufacturer putting them into a more modestly priced car. Once those trannies fail, after the warranty expires, the repair costs will seem more catastrophic financially to that owner as compared to a Ferrari owner.

[gwoods]

I love cars with paddle shifters for daily driver
I love cars with a 3rd pedal for fun

Its fun to use a clutch and change gears by hand but gone are the days when it makes the car faster.

[Jesda]

Today we picked up a BMW X3 with a 6-speed manual at the auction. Thanks to a light clutch and easy shifter, it turns an SUV that's otherwise a cheap turd into a surprisingly enjoyable driver. I had a lot of fun driving it to the lot across town.

Same goes for my 1987 Chevy Nova (same as Corolla) that I owned when I was a teenager. It was a completely unremarkable car but being able to shift it myself made it significantly more engaging and more fuel efficient (remember when most automatics were 3-speeds?). If more people knew how to drive a manual, they'd be more aware of what they were missing, even in mundane commuter cars.


I want to be a part of the machine, not just an operator giving input commands.

[Mr1der]

ferrari needs to make a manual to sell more than buick...

[MinisterofDOOM]

Looks like they left out the third pillar of Harley Earl's philosophy of car design.

And the first and second.

[King Ranzo]

A 7 speed manual? Dear Christ. I never thought I'd see that. As for the FIesta, that manumatic transmission is a tremendous pile of you-know-what. I work at a Ford dealership, in the transmission department nonetheless, so I see these constantly. Guess what they come in for - you guessed it, transmission issues. The customers all complain that in their BRAND NEW Fiesta, and Focus, that their transmission clatters or bumps into gears and they don't like it. It's nothing like their old car. NEWS FLASH. It isn't fully automatic. Get used to it. It's normal. That's all we can tell them because there's no fix for something that was built that way. The technology for that transmission came from Europe. What does everyone there drive? Manual. So that transmission was a breeze for them. Automatically shifting manual? Sign me up! Here? No. No one understands it because the salesmen don't say anything. They don't tell them it's a powershift. Regardless of that fact, that transmission still sucks. I'd rather daily drive manual than an automatic.

[Bubba1]

ferrari needs to make a manual to sell more than buick...

I believe Ferrari already has a waiting list for pretty much everything they plan to build in 2013, and that's without a manual.

[Mr1der]

they're a small market manufacturer. i dont think they offer a manual in the California anymore either.

hell, i wonder if you add up all the manual cars they've sold through the decades if it'd still be more than Buick.

[numbnuts240]

idc who sells more, sans manual, i still want one

[Jesda]

I haven't lusted for an exotic since the Countach, F40, and Testarossa. They were emotional designs that appealed to a child's whimsical motoring fantasies.

That said, I can't afford one, nor am I experienced enough to evaluate such cars. I've become more of a lifestyle motorist than one who cares about performance achievements. Give me a Mazda Miata and I could be happy forever.

[AZhitman]

I haven't lusted for an exotic since the Countach, F40, and Testarossa. They were emotional designs that appealed to a child's whimsical motoring fantasies.

That said, I can't afford one, nor am I experienced enough to evaluate such cars. I've become more of a lifestyle motorist than one who cares about performance achievements. Give me a Mazda Miata and I could be happy forever.

I'm feeling the same... Except replace Miata with C5/C6. Too tall for teh Miata.

[Bubba1]

I haven't lusted for an exotic since the Countach, F40, and Testarossa. They were emotional designs that appealed to a child's whimsical motoring fantasies.

That said, I can't afford one, nor am I experienced enough to evaluate such cars. I've become more of a lifestyle motorist than one who cares about performance achievements. Give me a Mazda Miata and I could be happy forever.

I agree with you about the Miata, yet curiously, that is the only car that you haven't purchased yet. Whassup wi' 'dat?

[Jesda]

I agree with you about the Miata, yet curiously, that is the only car that you haven't purchased yet. Whassup wi' 'dat?

*scratches head*

I really don't know. Genuinely, I have no idea. Something else always comes up and catches my attention I guess.

[Mr1der]

They don't have quirks, incredibly popular and their reliable.

That's just not a car for you at all.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I haven't lusted for an exotic since the Countach, F40, and Testarossa. They were emotional designs that appealed to a child's whimsical motoring fantasies.

That said, I can't afford one, nor am I experienced enough to evaluate such cars. I've become more of a lifestyle motorist than one who cares about performance achievements. Give me a Mazda Miata and I could be happy forever.

I kind of agree. I like the F12 and FF quite a lot. But I think when it comes right down to it, if I could have ANY car in production right now, it'd be a Jaguar XJL Supersport. Not an exotic. If someone offered me either for free, and I took the Jag...I honestly don't think I'd ever find myself thinking "Gee, I wish I'd taken the Ferrari."

I think part of it is that the FF and F12 are daily-driveable practical cars (that kick a** on a track). But so is the XJL. The only difference is that two of them are boyracer wedges and the other is a sleek, elegant sedan.

[Mr1der]

Not me, I need this.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I still like four doors in my offroader.

[300ZXttZMAN]

I feel like if Australia took over this country, I'd be perfectly OK with it.

Especially if we got to have the vehicles they have.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I agree with you about the Miata, yet curiously, that is the only car that you haven't purchased yet. Whassup wi' 'dat?

*scratches head*

I really don't know. Genuinely, I have no idea. Something else always comes up and catches my attention I guess.

All these damn road trips you take and you haven't come down to sample mine yet. FOR SHAME!! FOR BIG BROWN SHAME!

[IBCoupe]

I could go for a Regal GS.

I'm currently thinking that's what I will end up with next March. Lili has convinced me against buying a Japanese car in China*, so I'm looking at those going, "That might be nice."


*For fear of vandalism, no Toyota GT 86 for me.

[szh]

I haven't lusted for an exotic since the Countach, F40, and Testarossa. They were emotional designs that appealed to a child's whimsical motoring fantasies.

Agreed on all those cars!

My favorite Ferrari of all time is still the last Testarossa - those air intakes were so unique, the car is instantly and uniquely recognizable on the road.

Yes, the red ones were common, but I saw a medium silver-gray one once (at the San Jose Auto Show) that was stunning. Not sure it was an original color, but looked good enough to be one.

Z