Should the RC F Get a Stick Shift?
11-16-14, 07:12 PM
#76
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Should the RC-F or standard RC200t and RC350 come with manual options?
Well of course they should. These aren't exactly race cars so why ignore a segment of the coupe buying market by not offering one? Really, if they want lap time bragging rights from the RC-F they should invest in DCTs to more closely link to the LFA heritage.
I love the SC300 5-speed and truly no one buys them any longer unless they want the platform for more brute horsepower. Given that a Lexus coupe is finally being made again I don't see why they couldn't offer a 6 or 7-speed manual if they wanted to even with CAFE.
They probably won't offer either a three pedal manual OR a DCT in the near future. I wouldn't see the point of wasting my time with the car unless, truly, there are no manual transmission RWD coupes available to buy any longer. Plenty of people don't care for a stick and don't feel the difference between an auto or DCT and to that end what can you do?
As long as another manufacturer offers a traditional stock option I'd go to their showroom and order what I want. A car purchase is plenty of money and I don't see the logic in going with the herd if you enjoy driving a stick.
To those who mention age and city traffic, I drive my 5-speed SC in Los Angeles rush hour it's not the shifting that bothers me-- it's the traffic itself that is tiresome. As for age, my 69 year old uncle just bought himself a Mini Cooper S 6-speed and loves it. If that isn't an advanced age I don't know what is.
My guess is that the upcoming Supra and FR-S sedan will have traditional manual transmissions, being targeted at buyers who want a real sportscar experience.
But driving a performance luxury coupe with a stick is great and satisfying fun. I could care less what is faster. The only sin is to offer the stick option ONLY on the most underpowered trim level. This is why the IS250 6-speed had few takers-- it was so slow! Stick buyers generally want the transmission option on the more powerful models. Cadillac CTS-V, anyone?
Well of course they should. These aren't exactly race cars so why ignore a segment of the coupe buying market by not offering one? Really, if they want lap time bragging rights from the RC-F they should invest in DCTs to more closely link to the LFA heritage.
I love the SC300 5-speed and truly no one buys them any longer unless they want the platform for more brute horsepower. Given that a Lexus coupe is finally being made again I don't see why they couldn't offer a 6 or 7-speed manual if they wanted to even with CAFE.
They probably won't offer either a three pedal manual OR a DCT in the near future. I wouldn't see the point of wasting my time with the car unless, truly, there are no manual transmission RWD coupes available to buy any longer. Plenty of people don't care for a stick and don't feel the difference between an auto or DCT and to that end what can you do?
As long as another manufacturer offers a traditional stock option I'd go to their showroom and order what I want. A car purchase is plenty of money and I don't see the logic in going with the herd if you enjoy driving a stick.
To those who mention age and city traffic, I drive my 5-speed SC in Los Angeles rush hour it's not the shifting that bothers me-- it's the traffic itself that is tiresome. As for age, my 69 year old uncle just bought himself a Mini Cooper S 6-speed and loves it. If that isn't an advanced age I don't know what is.
My guess is that the upcoming Supra and FR-S sedan will have traditional manual transmissions, being targeted at buyers who want a real sportscar experience.
But driving a performance luxury coupe with a stick is great and satisfying fun. I could care less what is faster. The only sin is to offer the stick option ONLY on the most underpowered trim level. This is why the IS250 6-speed had few takers-- it was so slow! Stick buyers generally want the transmission option on the more powerful models. Cadillac CTS-V, anyone?
11-17-14, 01:38 AM
#77
Modern lockup torque convertor autos and DCT's are very good though. The bad taste of 80's, 90's and early 2000's automatics that don't listen to the driver or fight the driver are largely over.
Personally, I'll buy a car with a traditional stick as long as they are still offered which won't be forever but the article I posted a day ago goes even further than low expected take rates to explain why we're seeing less and less of them in many models (emissions compliance programming).
Last edited by KahnBB6; 11-17-14 at 01:49 AM.
11-17-14, 03:53 AM
#78
Pit Crew
Ferrari dropped manual transmission for sales reasons. That company loves performance but money is truly their #1 goal plus they think were ferrari people will believe whatever we tell them.
Porsche not offering a 7 spd in the gt3 is truly about performance but it wouldn't surprise me to see it offered down the line. Porsche has had such a long history with manuals that I really am shocked with their decision.
For me id consider a used isf or rcf if there was a 6 spd available. I dont care how fast it is the driving experience is just not the same. I feel I am driving a 6 spd but am a passenger behind the wheel of an auto. With the power a rcf makes driving in traffic shouldn't be an issue, you just leave it in 2 gear until you hit speed of 3 gear.
I also understand manual transmission are a sort of dying breed but I will not just say no problem ill take an auto because others don't like manuals. I am the only person who has to live with and drive my car. If manuals are no longer made in any new car then I wont have to ever worry about buying new again. I will not settle for transmission choice again. I settled for an auto last October when I bought a gs400 and traded it in 8 months later cause it was boring. After 4 months I was wishing I had bout a vet or s2000 instead.
Porsche not offering a 7 spd in the gt3 is truly about performance but it wouldn't surprise me to see it offered down the line. Porsche has had such a long history with manuals that I really am shocked with their decision.
For me id consider a used isf or rcf if there was a 6 spd available. I dont care how fast it is the driving experience is just not the same. I feel I am driving a 6 spd but am a passenger behind the wheel of an auto. With the power a rcf makes driving in traffic shouldn't be an issue, you just leave it in 2 gear until you hit speed of 3 gear.
I also understand manual transmission are a sort of dying breed but I will not just say no problem ill take an auto because others don't like manuals. I am the only person who has to live with and drive my car. If manuals are no longer made in any new car then I wont have to ever worry about buying new again. I will not settle for transmission choice again. I settled for an auto last October when I bought a gs400 and traded it in 8 months later cause it was boring. After 4 months I was wishing I had bout a vet or s2000 instead.
Last edited by yada; 11-17-14 at 04:02 AM.
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