{"id":25888,"date":"2020-08-12T12:22:53","date_gmt":"2020-08-12T16:22:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=25888"},"modified":"2020-08-22T12:25:02","modified_gmt":"2020-08-22T16:25:02","slug":"savethemanual-more-cars-steer-away-from-stick-shifts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2020\/08\/savethemanual-more-cars-steer-away-from-stick-shifts","title":{"rendered":"#SaveTheManual: More cars steer away from stick shifts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The manual transmission continues to go the way of the hand-crank window.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Several more vehicles\u00a0\u2014 including the popular Jeep Compass and Honda Accord \u2014 will no longer have stick-shift options after the 2020 model year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The continuing trend toward\u00a0automatic transmissions is driven not only by\u00a0ease of use: In many cases, automatics now get better gas mileage than their stick-shift\u00a0counterparts. Adding to the decline is\u00a0the phase-out of\u00a0small, entry-level sedans that traditionally have offered manual transmissions as\u00a0budget options.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img gnt_em_img__inset\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/07\/27\/PDTN\/a3ef77b3-ffe3-4f45-a699-ac531f97e381-072720-tm-Manual-0016.jpg?width=300&amp;height=310&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/07\/27\/PDTN\/a3ef77b3-ffe3-4f45-a699-ac531f97e381-072720-tm-Manual-0016.jpg?width=600&amp;height=620&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"James Carl of Royal Oak poses with his 2015 Ford Fiesta ST with a six-speed manual transmission. \u201cI like the control of a stick,&quot; he says. &quot;I like to know what gear I\u2019m in and the ability to choose whatever gear I want in a particular situation.&quot;\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"James Carl of Royal Oak poses with his 2015 Ford Fiesta ST with a six-speed manual transmission. \u201cI like the control of a stick,&quot; he says. &quot;I like to know what gear I\u2019m in and the ability to choose whatever gear I want in a particular situation.&quot;\" data-c-credit=\"Todd McInturf, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Auto enthusiasts have rallied behind the hashtag #SaveTheManual, but it\u2019s not just entry-level SUVs and sedans that are stiffing sticks. High-end sports cars in the pursuit of more speed are also turning their backs on manuals. Two of the highest-profile performance-car launches in 2020, the Ford Mustang GT500 and mid-engine Chevy Corvette, debuted without a three-pedal option.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cTrack- and drag strip-focused sports cars are focused on pushing the envelope, and manuals just make no sense,\u201d said Michael Fiske, IHS Markit principal auto analyst. \u201cDual-clutch transmissions in cars like the Mustang are crowding out the manual, because if you really want to shave tenths off your quarter-mile time, you need an automatic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Fiske says manuals are increasingly the domain of small, affordable performance cars that owners enjoy for the driving experience. The Mazda MX-5 Miata and Toyota 86, for example, are synonymous with stick shifts.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img gnt_em_img__inset\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/07\/27\/PDTN\/aca03c9b-2924-43f3-a41c-9633155abc3f-072720-tm-Manual-0077.jpg?width=300&amp;height=416&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/07\/27\/PDTN\/aca03c9b-2924-43f3-a41c-9633155abc3f-072720-tm-Manual-0077.jpg?width=600&amp;height=832&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"Stick shifts are a dying breed. When they are available, they can cost more than an automatic. And frequently, cars with manual transmissions get worse gas mileage than their self-shifting counterparts.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"Stick shifts are a dying breed. When they are available, they can cost more than an automatic. And frequently, cars with manual transmissions get worse gas mileage than their self-shifting counterparts.\" data-c-credit=\"Todd McInturf, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cManuals let you write your own story,\u201d said M1 Concourse chief instructor Alex Della Torre, 47, who owns three Mazda MX-5s. \u201cIf\u00a0you want to max out your revs, you have that power.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Yet\u00a0even popular performance cars such as the stick-shift Ford Fiesta ST and Focus ST have been yanked from the U.S.\u00a0market, a casualty of the relentless upshift from cars to SUVs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">James Carl, 30, of Royal Oak owns a 2015 Fiesta ST. He was raised on sticks, having previously driven a now-defunct Mazda RX-8 and Bronco II.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cI like the control of a stick. I like to know what gear I\u2019m in and the ability to choose whatever gear I want in a particular situation,\u201d he said. \u201cAn automatic doesn\u2019t give you that choice.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-3\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\" data-google-query-id=\"CNbKzbacr-sCFUe9wAodD7YIUA\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">He laments the loss of the subcompact Fiesta ST \u2014 its last model year was 2019 (the compact Focus ST died\u00a0in 2018). Ford\u2019s ST performance badge continues on in sport utilities\u00a0like the Explorer and Edge \u2014 but without the option of a stick.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">A Ford partisan, Carl said\u00a0his only choices going forward are the Mustang muscle car (he races one), and the forthcoming\u00a0Bronco SUV, which will have a manual option.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"gnt_atomsnc\" class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_anc\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"loadAnc\" aria-label=\"Newsletter signup form\"><\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Like some pickups and the\u00a0Jeep Wrangler, the Bronco\u2019s off-road performance promises to attract manual enthusiasts. That\u2019s rare in an SUV. More typical is the Jeep Compass, for which\u00a0just 7.7% of buyers go for the manual.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">SUVs like the Compass have replaced cars like the Focus and Fiesta as entry-level vehicles,\u00a0which were typically offered as base manual models because the stick\u2019s $1,000 to $1,500 savings attracted cash-strapped customers.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/07\/27\/PDTN\/23391d8b-f91c-40a4-bdfa-65ef667e55d7-072720-tm-Manual-0090.jpg?width=660&amp;height=410&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/07\/27\/PDTN\/23391d8b-f91c-40a4-bdfa-65ef667e55d7-072720-tm-Manual-0090.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=820&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"James Carl, 30, of Royal Oak, poses with his 2015 Ford Fiesta ST with a six-speed manual transmission, Monday afternoon, July 27, 2020, which is no longer available.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"James Carl, 30, of Royal Oak, poses with his 2015 Ford Fiesta ST with a six-speed manual transmission, Monday afternoon, July 27, 2020, which is no longer available.\" data-c-credit=\"Todd McInturf, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">But, say analysts, stiffer fuel economy rules mandated over the last decade made already low profit-margin small cars even more costly to produce.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cThe EPA mileage rules really made it hard for small sedans to meet emissions standards. It\u2019s easier to hit the mpg mark with SUVs because the rules treat them differently,\u201d said IHS Markit\u2019s Fiske, an industry veteran. Plus, he said, SUVs have higher profit margins.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Even\u00a0the take-rate for manuals on Mustangs is just 9.1% as the marque has developed a smooth-shifting, 10-speed automatic. Mustang rival Chevy Camaro\u2019s manual take rate is a paltry 1.4%. Ford now targets its manual Mustang offerings at special, upper-trim models such as the GT350, Bullitt\u00a0and forthcoming Mach 1.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The top-trim Mustang, the ferocious 760-horsepower 2020 GT500, shocked enthusiasts when it skipped the stick and introduced the pony-car kingdom\u2019s first dual-clutch, seven-speed automatic. That&#8217;s because even the best drivers will not be as fast on the track with a manual transmission.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The GT500\u2019s tradition-busting move was followed by the 2020 Corvette, the first &#8216;Vette to put the engine behind the driver \u2014 and ditch the stick. The car\u2019s eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic is staggeringly quick (performing shifts in under 100 milliseconds), allowing sub-3-second, zero-to-60 times. Try that with a manual.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Amateur racer and stick-shift fan Steve Nowicki, 61, of West Bloomfield isn&#8217;t interested in a manual muscle car. He drives an automatic Ford F-150 to work\u00a0but has a stick-shift Miata for play.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">&#8220;Stick shifts are more manageable with restrained horsepower,&#8221; he said. &#8220;My Miata is just fun to drive. It&#8217;s my summer, let\u2019s-just-go-for-a-ride car.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Vaunted sports car maker Porsche has flirted with eliminating the stick shift from its flagship 911, but pushback from\u00a0core enthusiasts means it&#8217;s still offered on upper trims like the S and 4S models for 2021. For the entire 911 model line, manuals are chosen by a mere 2.7% of customers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">At the entry-level end of the market, performance brands like Mazda now dangle manuals at enthusiasts willing to pay more for the feature, rather than budget-conscious buyers. The $22,445 Mazda 3 compact offers the manual only its fully loaded Premium hatchback model, starting at $28,420.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Mazda\u00a0now only offers a stick-shift in its Mazda 3 and MX-5 Miata, having ditched the three-pedal option in its sporty, mid-size 6 sedan after 2019.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/07\/27\/PDTN\/4d0274fb-217c-415b-8dc5-51ae36749a0c-072720-tm-Manual-0025.jpg?width=660&amp;height=405&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/07\/27\/PDTN\/4d0274fb-217c-415b-8dc5-51ae36749a0c-072720-tm-Manual-0025.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=810&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"The ST logo on the grill.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The ST logo on the grill.\" data-c-credit=\"Todd McInturf, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The Honda Accord, a competitor to the Mazda 6, will follow suit by discontinuing its stick option after the current model year. Other sticks are leaving the market at year\u2019s end because their model lines have been axed. They include the Fiat 124, Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris\u00a0and Chevrolet Sonic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Only 0.8% of Accord buyers opted for a manual. Honda, a driver\u2019s brand with deep roots in racing, has found more success in its compact Civic model with a take rate of 9%.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Even the manuals\u2019\u00a0once-vaunted advantage over automatics in fuel economy has dissipated. An automatic Civic with a 1.5-liter engine, for example, gets 33 mpg compared to 30 mpg for the comparable manual version.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">M1 Concourse\u2019s Della Torre, however, sees one clear advantage for manual transmissions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cYou don\u2019t have time to text and drive,\u201d he said. \u201cYou are forced to focus on driving alone.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The manual transmission continues to go the way of the hand-crank window. Several more vehicles\u00a0\u2014 including the popular Jeep Compass and Honda Accord \u2014 will no longer have stick-shift options after the 2020 model year. The continuing trend toward\u00a0automatic transmissions is driven not only by\u00a0ease of use: In many cases, automatics now get better gas [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25888"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25888"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25889,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25888\/revisions\/25889"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}