Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Manual Transmissions Back On The Rise

Source: zeocars

If you thought manual transmissions were dead (Well...in the US), think again! Numbers from car pricing website Edmunds report that 6.5% of new vehicle sales had a manual transmission. That statistic was the highest since 2006, although, the statistic also reported that 10% fewer new car models offered them in the last five years.

Why the increase of vehicles with manual transmissions? No one exactly knows, not even the automakers. A change in consumer behavior? Possibly. The increasing demand for manual transmissions surprised automaker Ford, as they reported that their Focus model received double the original prediction, which is now at about 10%.

As the future comes, we won't know if manual transmissions will be able to survive any longer, as the automatic transmissions grow increasingly dominant. One way to help the survival of the manual is to use it, by learning how to drive a vehicle with a manual transmission.

16 comments:

  1. Now that I learned to drive with manual transmission, I prefer cars with manual transmission =P

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  2. They are old school but I do like the new shift technology that is coming out that allows for cars to shift in like milliseconds

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  3. I first learn to drive manual, no big deal, just practice!

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  4. I can sort of drive stick, just not very well.

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  5. Driving manual feels like you're truly driving... automatic almost feels like cheating after awhile.

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  6. ahhh I can't drive stick (or at all for that matter ^_^)

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  7. If you learn to drive with manual transmission it'r much more easy to switch to automatic

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  8. ive noticed that the plant has been pumping out slightly more manuals lately.

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  9. Interesting post, thanks for sharing!

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  10. Pretty interesting stuff, I wonder why the sudden change in demand.

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  11. Well I can see that in an STI but not a honda civic lol

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  12. Ugh, fear of driving shift still gets me!

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  13. Manual is definitely the way to go.

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  14. manual to automatic is easy
    may be price

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  15. Manuals are cool but a pain in traffic

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  16. So I wonder how many 6.5% is exactly, I personally love the manual transmission especially in a truck. I remember felling like automakers were trying to faze out the manual but this is definitely good news for me. Good post man

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