superswiss

Yeah, the assist features are a big driver behind the disappearance of the manual transmission. As much as I like the pure driving experience, I also like the assist features for daily driving and road trips in particular adaptive cruise control and the automatic emergency braking is a nice safety net. I'm looking forward to the traffic jam assist in the newer models. The simple fact is these assist features are pretty pointless if the car has a manual transmission.

Glisse

Completely agree, and it is also efficiency (consumption and emissions) that are a strike against manual transmissions.

Having said that, there are also cultural issues at play. Whilst walking my dog last night, I did a survey on the parked cars I passed. On a sample of 30 cars, 27 were manual transmissions. Most people here learn to drive and get their licences using a manual transmission car, and I am in an affluent part of Europe. I am sure a walk in a US town would have the opposite result.

Here, a manual transmission is regarded as a cost saving rather than a badge of honour, and for more premium / higher performance cars a sequential or automated gearbox is typical as they provide better performance and full systems integration. If you can't afford an auto, you are not going to be adding all the driver assist options either, so it is less of a conflict in this case.

I get the reward that comes from driver involvement of using a clutch pedal, and I miss heel and toeing every now and then too. And I am sure at the time there were those who still preferred to ride their horse to work rather than a Model T.

This is a scenario where you cannot have your cake and eat it too.

superswiss

Yeah, the culture is very different between Europe and US. I was born in Switzerland, grew up and learned to drive there before I moved to the US.

markcincinnati

My wife and I (combined) have had 33 Audis, 3 BMW's, 3 VW's and 1 Infiniti and 1 Acura. My last manual Audi was a 2003 allroad which was followed by a 2005 A6. Before the A6 (auto), I had previously owned 2 Audi automatic, a 1996 A6 -- which I used for the one-year wait I had for my 1997 A8. My current S4 is a DSG "auto", my wife's current SQ5 is also an auto, and my previous A4 was a 6-speed tip. This means that out of 33 Audis, we have had 7 automatic Audis and 26 manuals. Two of the three BMW's were manuals, as were all of our VW's (including a Quantum, a pre-Passat).

With a smile on my face and no ill will toward anyone, I held up my end, the rest of you folks, I'd wager have not done your part, did not do your part and now can't do your part to keep the Audi manual options plentiful (or even in existence, as a practical matter).

And that's the problem -- the uptake on manuals had dwindled to less than 3% in 2011, the last year, for all practical purposes, you could get an Acura TL SH-AWD w/a manual.

Almost everything in life is based on some form of "economics" -- when you can barely muster a couple percentage points toward something, you can bet that either the price will skyrocket or the feature some want will be withdrawn from the market. In my case, I could have had a manual transmission on my 2014 S4, but I test drove the 7-speed DSG AND a 6-speed manual, and there was no comparison, the 7-speed was superior in every way. The damn thing shifts instantaneously.

I couldn't even come close. Besides, the dealer said to get a manual was a special order (which is fine, since we always order anyway). But it does tell you how the market for manuals has basically dropped to an effective "0%" -- my new S4, will have an 8-speed tip, which I've concluded will also be fine, considering how good the 8-speed on my wife's SQ5 is.

The market determines what is "best" -- for the market -- the OVERALL market. Just because you (and remember you, not I, are the reason for the manual's demise) currently want a manual, simply means that you are part of the lunatic fringe part of the market, not the OVERALL market.

More's the pity.

On the other hand, I have become so disappointed with our streets, roads, highways and freeways AND the majority of folks who drive on them, that I am actually looking forward to a pretty much self-driving car.

Here's the deal: I live in Cincinnati. I drive, at least once per week, to Columbus, a distance of 100 miles on an Interstate. Average speed? Hmmm 50mph? If you're lucky. Top speed, 85 (for almost a mile or two sometimes, maybe, but not very often.) Potholes, about as many as there are cars, which is part of the reason the average speed is so low and the satisfaction per mile is, well, tough to find.

$2B a week in Afghanistan has taken its toll (no pun intended) on our Interstate system (at least here in Ohio). I understand that. I don't like it, but I understand it.

So, the future semi and fully autonomous cars seem like what the market wants next. Me? I'd love a European style railroad system that would let me get on the train in Cincinnati and arrive 90 minutes later in Columbus, no fuss no muss.

You, and you know who you are -- are the reason for the death of the manual transmission and, I'd add, the birth of the self-driving car.

My wife and I tried -- but we're the only folks we know who has EVER had a manual transmission. It's just like Cold Play, eventually, you just give in and like them -- its too hard to fight anymore.

markcincinnati

A new 2016 (and I believe a short-run 2017 MY) Audi S4 can be had with a manual transmission. Although I opted for my 2014 to have the DSG, I did test drive the manual. You can get a new Audi S4 fairly well optioned for about $58K with a manual. Get 'em while you can.