"Awedgar" (Awedgar)
09/10/2013 at 12:24 • Filed to: None
2
27|
"Awedgar" (Awedgar)
09/10/2013 at 12:24 • Filed to: None | 2
| 27 |
Following all this talk about the death about the manual transmission, let's do something different...and talk about 5 more obscure cars you didn't know came with 3 pedals.
Audi S8
The D2 Audi S8 was an understated and muscular sedan, before Audi turned their cars into Christmas trees with 2 miles of LEDs on the front. With a 4.2 V8 with 360hp, good for a 6 second 0-60 time, it is undeniably one of the coolest and underrated Audis ever made. It was available with 3 pedals, and isn't even hard or expensive to find used in Europe. What's more, it was featured in one of the best car movies ever, Ronin, where it zigzagged in the streets of Paris being chased by Peugeot 306s which incomprehensibly seemed to be able to catch up.
Mercedes 300SL
The R129 was available with a huge variety of engines, and compared to the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , this 3.0 straight six feels like it might be better suited powering a pencil sharpener, or a table. But, it's still an exceptionally cool and well built machine, and yes, it is available with a manual...in the states. There are a few on sale right now, including !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Lamborghini Gallardo
It's the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , open gate gearbox, has a high revving V10 and is rear wheel drive. What else is there to say?
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
BMW X5
Yes, the BMW X5 is more of the soccer mom variety, but the first generation one was always a bit special to drive. Yes, you can get a 4.8is version, but this manual version, with the 3.0 inline six is not a bad buy at all. The engine is torquey, and the transmission is quintessentially BMW with a well weighted clutch and a mechanical feeling shifter. It is essentially like driving a heavier, more elevated e39 5 series, and driving something this size with a manual transmission is a cool experience. What's more, its 8 second 0-60 time isn't half bad, and it really isn't hard to find a good used one in the US.
Lincoln LS
The Lincoln LS looks like what Detroit executives came up when they wanted to make a ‘bee-em-dubble-you” fighter, except it just looks like a cheap Chinese knockoff. However, it is fairly handsome, and since its platform was used for the likes of the Jaguar S type, it probably isn’t a bad driver. Unbeknownst to many, a manual was offered with the Ford Duratec V6 version, and these can be had for 5000$ today.
505Turbeaux
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 12:27 |
|
I have driven the X5 3.0 with a 6 speed. It was brilliant.
Should be an honorable mention in here for the Audi Allroad 6 speed too
delete-me-please123
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 12:28 |
|
Awesome man, thanks. Keep up with these great posts.
Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 12:32 |
|
I'll take it that it is you 'muricans that did not know these could be had as manuals? :)
Party-vi
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 12:34 |
|
I knew about the others, but the X5 and LS threw me for a loop.
BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
> 505Turbeaux
09/10/2013 at 12:34 |
|
I would really like one of those 6-speed X5s, but I am petrified of the out-of-warranty maintenance and repair costs, and the reliability.
I'd also not mind a new-generation Porsche Cayenne VR6 6-speed AWD... but those are hard to find, and not old enough to be inexpensive... and the drivetrain is probably just as complex to maintain.
|
Awedgar
> delete-me-please123
09/10/2013 at 12:34 |
|
Thanks very much!
GhostZ
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 12:37 |
|
Was the 300SL the highest model offered with a Manual? Was the SL55 AMG available with a manual, or just the 300SL? I don't know much about mercedes, I thought it wasn't until the 2000s that they switched to flappy paddles for the AMG versions?
The Lincoln LS is also one of my favorite and oft-under-appreciated cars. Jag V8 in a cheaper, lighter Ford? Hell Yes.
|
Awedgar
> BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
09/10/2013 at 12:40 |
|
I wouldn't worry too much about the costs of the X5, it's basically an elevated e39 530i, and the engine is extremely reliable and serviceable by most non BMW dealers. And yes I know what you mean about the Cayenne, I have my eye on those too, but it's actually just a VW engine with a different intake manifold, so shouldn't be too costly either!
|
505Turbeaux
> BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
09/10/2013 at 12:42 |
|
Well, considering both the GM and ZF slushers they put in those were weak, I would much rather a clutch replacement than an autobox rebuild. I have serviced the same manual X5 from 130K to 170K miles, and it was never the tranny that was the issue on it (just all the other X5 issues).
|
Awedgar
> GhostZ
09/10/2013 at 12:42 |
|
Yes, for this generation SL (R129), the 300SL was the highest available with a manual, both the regular 300SL and 24V 300SL (231hp I believe). However, I believe there is a rare AMG version of the 300SL with even more power and a manual, but I can't find much info on it.
Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 12:47 |
|
Land Rover Discovery Series 1, although rare, they were available with a manual and a headgasket blowing rover 4.0 V8...
ColoradoTaco
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 12:50 |
|
Gallardos are AWD iirc, except the Balboni. And the S8 was only available with a manual in Europe, US manual S8s are swapped.
|
BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
> 505Turbeaux
09/10/2013 at 12:50 |
|
it's the "all the other x5 issues" thing that is the key.
maintenance and repair costs don't just apply to the manual gearbox because I would prefer a vehicle with one... I have to pay the bills on anything on the vehicle that breaks down.
|
Awedgar
> ColoradoTaco
09/10/2013 at 12:55 |
|
http://jalopnik.com/5860466/lambor…
|
ColoradoTaco
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 12:56 |
|
That is a end of run special edition.
feather-throttle-not-hair
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 13:24 |
|
Other cool ones are the cayenne gts and the merc c class of a few years ago.
I did not know about th x5 or the sl300.
Union of Smog Techs of CA
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 13:27 |
|
That poor LS, it looks like a RWD version of the last good looking Accord, which kind of had a last good looking 7 series look to it. I want to rescue one and put some nice suspension on it and give it a reliable 4.6 with a manual.
|
Awedgar
> Union of Smog Techs of CA
09/10/2013 at 13:30 |
|
I'd be tempted to buy it from you if so!
|
Union of Smog Techs of CA
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 13:45 |
|
Buy the car and parts and I'll build it and send you a bill when it's done!
|
Union of Smog Techs of CA
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 13:53 |
|
Hi, I'm a cousin to the Mazda3 and Focus, but I have AWD, a manual gear box, and turbo 5cyl like the Focus RS. You probably didn't realize this because my parents are retarded
Hoccy
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 14:04 |
|
I knew everyone but the Lincoln, but I blame the Atlantic Ocean for that one. Strange that a large American car was offered with a manual, must be a jalop in disguise!
If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
> Hoccy
09/10/2013 at 17:08 |
|
I've looked into the LS before. Size-wise, it was between the 3-series and 5-series, and competed with both depending on the engine you had in it. The V8 was powerful, but it made too much torque for the manual trans to handle and was thus automatic only. The V6 was available with a manual, and because of the lighter engine it had much better weight distribution and handled better than the V8 despite being slower..
The World of Vee
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 22:52 |
|
If they're regular Jalops, then they at least know about the D2 S8 :)
http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/d2-audi-s8-6mt…
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Dsscats
> Awedgar
09/10/2013 at 23:10 |
|
Yeah, the Gallardo is AWD, not RWD. The only RWD one was the 550-2 and all 25o have already been sold. And, IIRC, about 1/3 of Gallardo's sold are manual.
Jon Smith
> Union of Smog Techs of CA
09/10/2013 at 23:48 |
|
My friend has had one since high school. Loads of fun.
Bloodtype5w-20
> If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
09/11/2013 at 08:57 |
|
I am actually a former LS owner. The manual trans was more then capable of handling the V8. I had the v8 and The car was actually designed by BMW. It had near perfect weight distribution with all the little details like the battery being in the trunk. That was was enormously comfortable to drive, and fast as all heck also. I would smoke cars on the regular as they looked on in confusion. You have to love a good sleeper....
The Biebster's got a P71 (Formerly not Justin Bieber)
> Awedgar
09/11/2013 at 09:10 |
|
I was reading on a Cayenne forum a while ago, and some of them claim to have 150,00 to 175,000 with no issues.