Is The Manual Trans Still The Choice Of Enthusiasts?

We found a video that immediately put a smile on our faces. While it might not be breaking news to automotive enthusiasts, the topic is a valid one nonetheless because in the near future,  this particular type of car enthusiast might just disappear altogether. Over the last two years, the crew over at Gears and Gasoline have answered the questions that everyday car enthusiasts might have. The video above follows Devin Herndon as he drives his manual-trans 2013 Ford Focus ST across town to pick up a mysterious package.

Something as simple as a stick shift might be the special sauce you need to make something great. — Gears and Gasoline

What makes this clip so special is the Gears and Gasoline crew breakdown why driving a manual transmission is still relevant to many car enthusiasts today. They also give some great examples of why, they say, “Something as simple as a stick shift might be the special sauce you need to make something great.”

Manual

(Photo Credit: @devin.st1)

The video points out that as of August of 2013, only about 3.9 percent of new cars sold for the year had manual transmissions. Fast forward to present day and we are starting to see the growing popularity of enthusiasts opting for the automatic transmissions, like the 10-speed in the latest Mustang,  which combines split-second shifts with improved fuel economy.

So the discussion remains. Is the manual transmission still relevant in 2018? Gears and Gasoline does a great job discussing this topic and shows us that sometimes faster lap times and fuel efficiency are not always what enthusiasts want in their next daily driver. And Devlin breaks down why manually shifting through the gears of his Ford Focus ST is still so much fun.

Manual

(Photo Credit: @devin.st1)

What made us smile is that many of our fellow car scribes still drive manuals daily. While we can’t argue that the advancements in technology may eventually make the manual almost obsolete, for now, we like the fact that the Save The Manuals campaign is alive and well in 2018. Is a manual trans your weapon of choice or have you been swayed by those fancy, new automatics? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

About the author

Kelly Getzelman

Kelly is a SoCal car enthusiast and skilled driver. His “get out and drive” obsession began after attending his first high-performance racing school while serving on active duty. Since then, he has attended numerous military and civilian driving schools across the country to help fuel that passion.
Read My Articles

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