Eventually they will go by the wayside. I'll be sad to see them go, but such is progress. Like MMarshall said, autos are now in some cases exceeding the possibilities for my beloved stick shift. I couldn't pay some people I know to drive a manual; and while the snob in me wants to think they're classless, the fact of the matter is that traditional manuals are just becoming unnecessary.

The only time I've driven through Chicago rush-hour traffic in my SC, I was freaking miserable; but it comes with the territory. It's what I want, and it has downsides.

 

When I had my G35 coupe 6MT, I have got stuck in rush hour traffic before, but I swear I haven't even thought about shifting in that situation(and the G35 manual is notchy too, not Honda smooth), it just comes naturally, so it doesn't bother me.
You guys think countries in Europe where it is 90+ % manual cars have no rush hour traffic? ... and everybody is miserable moaning and groaning about that ?

 

True. European countries are even more congested and yet they drive sticks almost exclusively.

 

In Southern Europe, there seems to be an apprehension against automatic transmissions atm.........though this could change (as nowadays, more and more automatics, CVTs, DSGs, semi-autos, SMG, etc. have lesser VED tax than their manual counterparts)

But in the case of Lexus, I'm predicting/guessing that they will stop making manual gearbox cars within this decade (i.e. not later than year 2020).

For start:
Majority of Lexus vehicles produced from factories in Japan and Canada ARE NOT stick shifts. Atm, there is no such thing as a stick shift LS or GS or RX or any other Lexus that has a stick shift from the factory.........................except for a few models of the IS.

Mostly in the form of IS base models and the diesel IS they sell in Europe (which is filled with problems and is ****ty).

I think only Americas and Europe and possible Australia and New Zealand have stick-shift IS. Here in Asia (incl. Japan), all IS are sold with auto tranny only.

With that said, does anyone have global sales charts for the IS as well as to what are the gearbox choices and marketshare for it. If the results show that stick shift IS are at a great minority, then this *might* give rise to the possibility that in the near future, Lexus will stop making stick shift cars.

 

What I feel that most people are missing is that the conventional manual isn't just about control, it's involvement. When you are carving up a nice piece of road, matching engine speeds and gears just perfectly you feel like part of the machine and need to be so much more aware of the conditions than with an epicycle auto of robot manual. I have noticed a huge difference amonst my peers between those that learnt on a manual car and those that didn't. Those that have only ever known the auto pay so much less attention to the traffic and conditions, wafting along in their own world. When the manual dies (and it is likely it will on road vehicles) there will be no more drivers.

Hyperbolic I know, but I really do feel passionately about it.

 

Even motorcycles are turning to manumatic transmissions.

Although scooters have had automatic transmissions for a while, motorcycle makes are beginning to create motorcycles with manumatic shifting for an aging population that want the smoothest sport-touring bikes on the road.

Honda, Aprilia, and BMW currently have semiautomatic transmissions for their bikes. I see more makes joining in the future.

 

Agree 100% with this.

Every car I have ever owned has been a manual -- and not by mistake. I simply prefer it, as autos make me sleepy.

But this may be because I *enjoy* driving. Most people drive to get places. I drive because I LIKE it.

For the record I left Lexus when buying my daily driver simply because I couldn't get the one I wanted with 3 pedals in it (IS350). They lost me to the Euro's (twice) and I have no regrets. Currently in a VW GTI and it's pure grins every time I row through the gears behind that sweet sweet 2.0T.

I still enjoy my SC300 on the weekends. Also with 3 pedals.

In all fairness I encounter no traffic during my commute and I generally drive like I'm in a police chase.

So for me, manuals all the way. I hope at least some stay.

 

Some cars will always be popular as manuals. Mazda Miatas have a wonderful gearchange and the whole point of owning one is to enjoy the handling, top down and flicking through the gears. No one in their right mind buys an auto Miata.

 

They'll be around as long as there's a demand for them. The only market that still has a demand for manual transmission here in the U.S. are sports cars.

IMO, a sports car without a true manual transmission is an oxymoron. One of my main reasons for liking sports cars is the driving experience it gives. And for me, that means have a shifter and clutch pedal.

 

Amen. I do it all of the time. Don't mind it too much.

 

Fixed for accuracy.

The reason the 3 only comes in a manual is that it's an econobox and the buyers couldn't afford to buy it with an auto.

 

The auto trans option in many of the sports cars is better then the manual option, many a car forums have threads discussing how the auto is better

 

Wrong. Auto Miatas DO sell....especially here in America. Gotta remember (without getting too much into stereotypes), that, although a lot of males also drive them, the Miata is very popular with women, many of whom cannot (or will not) drive a manual, even a relatively easy-to-shift manual like the Miata's.

 

Better in what? Performance? That's not what I was talking about. It's a given that most modern sport automatic transmissions are capable of outperforming a manual tranny.

I was referring to the driving experience that a manual transmission gives over an auto. I wouldn't touch a sports car unless it was a true manual. And that's a completely subjective point of view.

This is something that many don't seem to understand. Most people buying new cars with manual transmissions aren't getting them for increase in performance, but rather the driving experience. I don't mind sacrificing a fraction of a second for a more enjoyable drive (again, a subjective argument).

 

I didn't say they didn't sell. If it helps I've highlighted the relevant part of my post: