"PS9" (PS9)
01/14/2015 at 08:46 • Filed to: None
2
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"PS9" (PS9)
01/14/2015 at 08:46 • Filed to: None | 2
| 6 |
Guys. We need to talk.
It's been a few decades now since the introduction of the dual clutch flappy paddle to the consumer market. An item exclusive to the cutting edge racing world became available to consumers for the first time ever, and there is simply no denying that it has taken the automotive market by storm. Today, pretty much every automatic car whether it has an actual dual clutch or not has some kind of flappy paddle shifting option on the spec sheet. Even cars for which such a thing does not make sense on the surface can get it, like crossovers and SUVs. That's what's happening in the lower end.
In the higher end, manual transmissions have been totally abandoned. Manual supercars do not exist anymore. The R8 is the only one, and it after a few years, that one will go full flappy paddle as well. I have to admit that my hopes for the Ford GT retaining at least the option for a manual were totally dash upon reveal, but the development was not at all surprising.
"BLA BLA BLA, WE ALREADY KNOW THE MANUAL IS DYING WHAT ARE YOU TELLING US THIS FOR?" True. But I'm not here to remind us all of what we already know. I'm here to tell you all what that means exactly, and I'm not sure I can do a better job of that with words than I can with a single example. So, here's a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
No it is not zero-mile. No it hasn't been shrink wrapped for the past 26 years. No it isn't some kind of special edition with a limited paint scheme or something. It's...just a Mondial. For $40k.
But that's a total CP. The cheap ones are still around, right? Besides all that, what makes this dealer think they can get $40k for their Mondial when you can get Testarossas for $50k? Yeah...about that...
We have on one hand the disappearance of the manual among supercars. We have on the other a limited pool of buyers who cannot get the configuration they want anymore. Supply and demand, only the supply is not be replenished, which means the demand is going to go up over time. The cheap Mondials are still here for now. It's only a matter of time before prices go up on those as well. The gated shifter tax is here to stay, and it's going to get worse as time goes on. And now, we get on with the hardest part of this article.
If you don't own one of these already, you won't. I'm sorry. It's the last V8 powered manual supercar from Ford, maybe the last one from any manufacturer on earth, and inflation on these was already insane before we found out that we aren't gonna get anymore of them. They literally do not make them like this anymore. If it helps, it breaks my heart just as much as it does yours. For me, there is simply no room for denial here; the dream is dead.
nafsucof
> PS9
01/14/2015 at 08:59 |
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noble m600 would like a word with you...lolv8 turbo manual right? Pretty good combo.
Discerning
> PS9
01/14/2015 at 09:13 |
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"In the higher end, manual transmissions have been totally abandoned. Manual supercars do not exist anymore. The R8 is the only one..."
This fact is extremely disheartening. I still can't get over the fact that you can't buy a 911 turbo or 911 GT3 with a manual.
Sigh...
Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
> PS9
01/14/2015 at 09:46 |
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I would bet money on Ford releasing a GT with a manual and their flat-plane V8, all they have to do is slap some turbos on it and it will fit into their ecoboost push.
Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
> PS9
01/14/2015 at 10:38 |
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I'm still holding out hope that there will be some base Gallardos around when I can finally afford one.
nermal
> PS9
01/14/2015 at 10:55 |
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Eh. You can still get manual versions of:
A RWD BMW
A Jeep
A GTI
An Xterra
All of the muscle cars
A Ram 2500 diesel
Based on that list, at least one of those will be in the budget, new, for anybody with an average income ($50k), that isn't a complete moron with their finances. It covers pretty much everything but minivans, and who cares about them anyways.
The best thing you can do to save the manuals is to go buy a new one! Any of them will do.
Ark
> PS9
01/14/2015 at 12:53 |
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I don't really care what the supercar manufacturers do, I'm never going to have that kind of money anyway.
As long as I can still buy a Miata with a third pedal, I'm good.