The death of the manual transmission

[Damn True]

http://axisofoversteer.blogspot.com/2007/04/bmw-declares-luddites-dead.html

[bigvegan]

No, the manual transmisison's not dead, it's just a profit center for them now. They up the base prices to cover the cost of the automatic trans in future models, then up the price further to add the manual.

Not to mention the hullaballoo that will result from this press release, which will then allow BMW to produce another release "assuring the availability of manual transmissions and expressing their commitment to the driving enthusiast public." Significant amounts of free publicity ensue, and the revenue stream they've added at manual driver's expense goes unnoticed.

Pretty clever, those Bavarians.

[Steve Chryssos]

I know it's difficult to accept, but try to think in terms of merging technologies. Can you spot the manual transmission parts hiding in this multi-disc lock up torque converter?
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[David Sloan]

I know it's difficult to accept, but try to think in terms of merging technologies. Can you spot the manual transmission parts hiding in this multi-disc lock up torque converter?
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Well i see a clutch dis. in there.

[shortrack]

Death of the manual transmission.......

not in my garage!!!!

[Damn True]

Anyone notice the date that the article was posted?

[DJ Mabe]

April fools. The SMG trans is the way to go for BMW. In every performance car they make it out performs the true manual. The funny thing is, if you get the manual or the SMG (auto), it's the same trans. The are moving toward the SMG trans and it is the better choice. You don't have as much flexiblility off the line but most of us couldn't out perform it with a true manual. The other thing is, who would want to push in a clutch and bang gears when you can just squeez the paddles on the steering wheel?:headbang:

[bigvegan]

"The other thing is, who would want to push in a clutch and bang gears when you can just squeez the paddles on the steering wheel?"

Um, pretty much any able-bodied person who isn't a poser? (Yes, yes, I know all about the F1 cars and how wonderful they are blah blah blah, but let's face it, 90% of European cars are still stick shift, it's the rich Americans who want to look cool without actually learning to drive their cars that are responsible for the development of these transmissions.)

I sure hope you're just flamebaiting us with that question.

Each to their own though.

[aonghus]

Thats a tall order to argue that just because one uses a DSG/SMG style trans and paddle shifts they don't know how to drive their car.

Ultimately, DSG will probobly be the technology to take over the world. Can you say, perfect rev matching? Shifts faster than is humanly possible?

Just have to fix that little problem with them not living behind gobs of torque... I love my manuals, don't get me wrong, but for outright performance, DSG will rule the world someday.

(not a fan of SMG, drove an E46 M3 with it, felt a bit slushy.)

[Beegs]

Manuals are as dead as air cooled v-twin bikes. :drive:

[DJ Mabe]

"The other thing is, who would want to push in a clutch and bang gears when you can just squeez the paddles on the steering wheel?"

Um, pretty much any able-bodied person who isn't a poser? (Yes, yes, I know all about the F1 cars and how wonderful they are blah blah blah, but let's face it, 90% of European cars are still stick shift

The SMG or Ferrari's F1 trans is a manual so I guess your taking that into consideration with the 90% figure? If you are talking about traditional manuals, your 90% figure is not anywhere in the ball park. Most all Ferrari's sold have the F1 trans, not a traditional manual. The BMW just offered the traditional manual this year in the M5 and almost every one sold is the SMG (manual/auto), same with their M3 and other performance cars. Mercedes doesn't offer a manual in their top of the line performance cars. It goes on and on and on. Most top end Euro cars are not traditional manuals. You will find them in the lower buck economy models or lower buck performance cars but, if the maker has an F1 type trans, they are selling that over the traditional manuals by a wide margin. Don't get me wrong, it's fun to have a clutch pedal and I love drive traditional manuals. Todays manuals are going automatic and you can't beat them. I think BMW had someone like Tommy Kendall drive one of each around a road course and he couldn't beat the auto version. FWIW I don't think somoene choosing a trans that makes their car faster is a poser?

[Bandit]

I'm sure people said the carburetor is dead too when they came out with EFI over 50 years ago.
As cool as paddle-shift technology is--I still like my 3 pedals!

[WS6]

I have to agree with Bandit on this one. You can't argue how much better these clutchless manuals are technology and performance wise. I just think there will always be the desire to have a clutch and enough demand for them to continue to offer it. Maybe not in all models, but the manual trans isn't going anywhere.