The U.S. votes! (with their wallets, and saves the manual, yet again)

"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
11/04/2020 at 11:13 • Filed to: None

40% is a solid take rate! Keep it up friends.

DISCUSSION (32)

facw > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/04/2020 at 11:23

Meanwhile at last check, only 1.1% of new cars sold in the US were manuals. The Golf and Miata might hang on, but I wouldn’t count on too much else. And actually I’d expect that 40% to decrease significantly as some people who would have bought the regular Golf (or the Sportwagen/Alltrack instead opt for the GTI/R now that regular models are unavailable )

rctothefuture > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/04/2020 at 11:28

If you base new cars over their transmission then:

GTI > Corvette

GTI > Supra

GTI > GT500

GTI rules all.

dogisbadob > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/04/2020 at 11:28

Yay

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > facw
11/04/2020 at 11:30

Part of that issue is that manual buyers aren’t looking for the bargain basement car now, but whenever they release a manual in a new car, it’s the base model. People would have bought more manual G70s if they didn’t sandbag it with the 2.0.

P5guy now GTIguy > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/04/2020 at 11:30

I did my part in 2018!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > facw
11/04/2020 at 11:31

Mustang will hold on, WRX, Si/Type R and BRZ/86 will hold on. Hopefully Hyundai N will survive. Challenger, maybe?

Jeep & Bronco into the next generations , hopefully.

Porsche & BMW will have some models that retain it.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > P5guy now GTIguy
11/04/2020 at 11:34

Same! (Tacoma )

CobraJoe > facw
11/04/2020 at 11:35

Meanwhile at last check, only 1.1% of new cars sold in the US were manuals.

1.1% of all cars is shockingly low, but I’d argue it’s artificially low.

Because I’d say that 95% of new cars sold in the US wouldn’t be improved by a manual option.

Would a VW Atlas be better with a manual? Would a Rav4 be better with a manual? Hell, would a F150 be better with a manual? For the primary usage of all of those vehicles, the answer is a solid “No.”

But a smaller, sportier car that was built to be engaging for the driver and advertised as being more fun, then a manual transmission would be more applicable, and they are indeed are far more likely to be sold with a manual .

If you denied the manual option in the Golf R and GTI, 40% of those buyers would face a hard decision.

facw > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
11/04/2020 at 11:36

Probably true, but it’s pretty clear there’s not enough demand to justify the manuals on high-end models (except for very performance oriented cars). At the low end, I guess there are still enough people looking for the cheapest thing that it makes sense to offer . Even then I think I read an article a few years ago saying Kia’s combined manual take rate on the Soul, Forte, and Rio was only around 2.5% which doesn’t seem like it can actually be sustainable.

facw > CobraJoe
11/04/2020 at 11:41

True enough. Though I think if you asked certain car people (try on the FP, it will be fun!) they’d tell you every car needs a manual and would clearly be better with one (even though they likely own an automatic).

I do think there are definitely certain cars that do benefit from a manual, and hopefully they will hang around for those (though at some point dealers might have to start offering classes, fewer and fewer people even know how to drive stick).

flatisflat > rctothefuture
11/04/2020 at 11:41

Switch all those GTI’s to Golf R’s and you’re basical ly on point. I’m not even a VW fan and I’d take the Golf R over the ot her three.

nermal > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/04/2020 at 11:42

The thing about the GTI / R is that the DSG is unquestionably the better transmission, but the one with the manuel is still the better car.

Also, will be interesting to see gear ratios. On the MK7, the GTI was geared very long, while the R was very short relatively. How the MK8s are setup will change the driving experience significantly. On a “spirited” drive, that could be the difference between rowing up and down thru 2-3-4 the entire time vs just 2-3 occaisionally.

Bold Prediction: The MK8 will continue with two transmissions, the MK9 will come down to a last minute decision but still offer both, but the MK- X (!) will be DSG only.

Future ND Owner > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/04/2020 at 11:43

This probably seals the R as the replacement to my Focus ST. That won’t happen for 3-4 years though.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > facw
11/04/2020 at 11:49

Not necessarily true as Porsche proved with the release of the manual only R, whose fanfare paved the way for the manual GT3. Appliance consumers aren’t going to buy a manual, but people wanting a driver’s car will.

facw > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
11/04/2020 at 11:52

I thought I covered that in “ except for very performance oriented cars”, which I think is a category those Porsches fit in. But yeah, as I said, I do expect such vehicles to still be a sufficiently large niche for manuals to make sense.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > nermal
11/04/2020 at 11:53

Probably not a bad prediction. I’m hopeful that I can still buy a new car with a manual transmission until I’m no longer buying cars, but that may be wishful thinking.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
11/04/2020 at 11:56

Amen.

I think the industry has failed to understand the evolving role of the manual. Modern autos are very good, reasonable cheap to manufacture, and return great fuel economy, so they can be offered in base cars . T he manual no longer has a role as the base transmission, so why saddle it with the base engine?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Future ND Owner
11/04/2020 at 11:57

I’m not sold on the new design yet, but maybe it will grow on me.

Definitely glad it exists!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
11/04/2020 at 11:58

And more would buy manuals if dealers actually kept them on lots. It’s a vicious circle , sadly.

DAWRX - The Herb Strikes Back > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/04/2020 at 12:02

I’m usually pretty meh about new cars these days, but this really gets the fizz going...

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > DAWRX - The Herb Strikes Back
11/04/2020 at 12:05

Yeah, pretty exciting!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Future ND Owner
11/04/2020 at 12:06

Okay... already growing on me...

duurtlang > nermal
11/04/2020 at 12:29

The MK-X won’t have a DSG. Nor a manual. It will be electric.

CobraJoe > facw
11/04/2020 at 12:32

There certainly are a few cars out there that could be fun with a manual. The Outback is one that I would be curious about, even though I am one of the few fans of the CVT. (Well, the CVT we had in our 2012 Outback anyways.) Our QX60 that replaced it though? I don’t think a manual would fit that car’s personality at all.

I do wonder if there is some way to help people learn about the joys of a manual. Exposure to manuals is only going to be more limited as less models offer a manual. I’d even bet there are quite a few people out there that have accepted the relaxed and slow CUV type driving as the norm without ever experience a fun car.

SpeedSix > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/04/2020 at 12:54

Now if only Canada could get the regular Golf - the weak sales of the Golf in the U.S. means Canada won’t get the next one, even though the Golf actually sells well here . Canada, with a population just over 10% of the U.S., has Golf sales around 1/3rd to 1/2 of the U.S.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/04/2020 at 13:05

I’m excited about this as well. Hope some of us actually buy one.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/04/2020 at 13:06

Still kinda wish that RS3's I-5 motor from Audi would end up in the Top Spec VWs once in awhile.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > facw
11/04/2020 at 13:16

The Soul only has a stick on the base model and you can’t even get it in the fun interior/exterior colors available on the automatic base model. They are stif ling demand by only offering it in an undesirable spec. Same across the board, really.

nermal > duurtlang
11/04/2020 at 17:58

Thats roughly 2030 timeframe.... so maybe, although I’m not ready to accept that yet.

Stef Schrader > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/04/2020 at 21:52

finally, some good friggin’ news

Future ND Owner > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 11:11

I really like the rear and the profile. The front is a sight downgrade from the current gen, but still loads better than the Lexus grill and the new BMW M grills.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Future ND Owner
11/06/2020 at 11:15

Yeah, the profile is great.