The 6 & 8 Cylinder Manual Sedan Is Dying Fast

"PardonMyFlemish16" (TheCoolKid) 01/22/2016 at 10:21 • Filed to: None

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I have argued in the past that we are in a golden age of manual transmissions. Cars like the GTI, Mustang, Z, Civic Si etc have never been better. But that is all an illusion for anyone who doesn’t want 2 doors, or 4 cylinders.

In college I had a few cars; all Accords and Maximas. I preferred the Accord’s chassis, but with loud parts the Maximas sounded incredible, and was butter smooth. They were all stickshift. My friends had a lot of V6 sedans as well.... TLs, Altimas, even some G35s. If I recall correctly, ~10 years ago you could get any of these sedans with a manual gear box and more than 4 cylinders:

Acura TL

Audi A4

Audi S4

BMW 3 series

BMW 5 series

BMW M3

BMW M5

Cadillac CTS

Cadillac CTS-V

Ford Fusion?

Honda Accord!

Infiniti G35

Lexus IS250

Mazda 6

Mercedes C-Class (I think)

Nissan Altima

Nissan Maxima (I think)

Volvo S60

Volkswagen Passat

Of all of these, only the BMW 3/M3/M5 remain!!!!

I don’t mind 4-cylinders but I wouldn’t mind another V6. Now you have to spend at least $50K or so for that privilege. Part of it is just the fact that 6 cylinders are dying, but part of it is also that the pairing of 6 cylinders with a manual gearbox in a 4 door chassis is just going away. It sucks!

jkm7680 > PardonMyFlemish16 01/22/2016 at 10:26

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The manual transmission is dying in general.

My A6 has manual transmission mated to a twin turbo V6, now you can’t even get an A3 or A4 with manual transmission.

Azrek > PardonMyFlemish16 01/22/2016 at 10:32

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Me and my E92 M3 manual totally had a traffic buddy in a Masarati Giblet Q4S today...that car sounds meaner than mine...but I have 2 extra cylinders and an M Button!

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > PardonMyFlemish16 01/22/2016 at 10:33

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The ATS-V Sedan is available with a 6-speed manual connected to a twin turbo 3.6L V6!

I want one so bad.

yamahog > PardonMyFlemish16 01/22/2016 at 10:33

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IIRC, ATS-V sedans are also available in manual. But overall... Yea.

Scott > PardonMyFlemish16 01/22/2016 at 10:34

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Yes it’s getting harder and harder to find good options. I’d take a V6 over an I4 for sure. Last time I made the choice of a I4 cylinder over a V6 I found that while the it was slightly faster, on long trips all the noise from revving the I4 into the power band just got old quick.

I tend to have more of an issue with trucks, it used to be difficult to get a gas V8 and a manual, now if you want a manual you have to get a diesel. I have a bad tendency of destroying diesels as I just automatically fill up with gas. Also I can’t stand the noise and the stink of a diesel. and every time I touch a diesel pump my hands stink of diesel for several days. Yet I fear I'll be stuck with a diesel in my future so I can get a manual.

yamahog > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 01/22/2016 at 10:42

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If I knew it was coming out, I might’ve been tempted to wait for the lease on an ATS-V rather than buying the 1LE. Which would’ve been a disaster, since I put way too many miles on my cars to have a lease.

Axel-Ripper > PardonMyFlemish16 01/22/2016 at 10:43

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Chevy SS has a manubox now.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > yamahog 01/22/2016 at 10:45

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Haha nice.

I’d really like to buy an ATS-V eventually. Seems like the perfect enthusiast/family man/young successful business guy car. Thankfully, the family part won’t be happening for awhile, which means I have time to save. lol

jjhats > PardonMyFlemish16 01/22/2016 at 10:47

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Turbo 4 are better than v6, there I said it.

472CID > PardonMyFlemish16 01/22/2016 at 10:48

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Chevy SS, Cadillac ATS-V, BMW 2/3/4 (“grand coupe”)/M2/M3/M5, Honda Accord (coupe only for the V6?)

Mustafaluigi > PardonMyFlemish16 01/22/2016 at 10:50

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The problem is the perceived notion that only people buying the base car want a manual. Most of those cars you could not get the manual if you wanted the upper trim levels, which just so happen to give you the bigger engine. I remember when I had my Passat that reviews made a big deal about the fact that you could get the top trim, all wheel drive, leather, wagon, and still check the box for manual. Because people don’t want base trim levels as much as they want leather and navigation they don’t get the option anymore so they don’t buy them. Just like cars like the Juke which offer AWD and a manual but not together. Many people want AWD and some want manual, but typically AWD will win out over their desire for a manual.

PardonMyFlemish16 > 472CID 01/22/2016 at 10:50

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Ah the SS and ATS-V are legit. But the Accord and BMW 2/4 are coupes. There are tons of 6+ cylinder manual coupes.

Vicente Esteve > PardonMyFlemish16 01/22/2016 at 10:51

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Fun fact: you can get a new base manual diesel C-Class in Mexico.

LeadfootYT > 472CID 01/22/2016 at 11:12

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The BMW Gran Coupes do not offer manuals, at least in North America. There might be diesel options with sticks in Europe, but I believe I asked about that once and the answer was no.

yamahog > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 01/22/2016 at 11:56

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I can’t wait to get my hands on that sweet sweet depreciation.

PardonMyFlemish16 > Mustafaluigi 01/22/2016 at 12:02

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A big part of it is the fact that dealerships, not consumers, are the manufacturers customer. Dealers want cars to move as quickly as possible and manuals just don’t for mainstream sedans. I bought a Civic sedan last year and had to drive 100 miles across a state border to get an EX in stickshift.

Thankfully the slack has been picked up by manual only performance variants like the Civic Si and the Ford ST hatches; but not everyone who wants stickshift also wants a boy racer 4 banger economy car.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > PardonMyFlemish16 01/28/2016 at 15:42

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Yeah, is sad. Glad I got mine! ‘08 E90 M3

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Axel-Ripper 01/28/2016 at 15:43

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I’m hoping against hope that they make a new SS sedan based on the new Camaro.