We have had lots of debate here on the subject. Heres a good piece of data from BMW. "In terms of product, one particular model sees a surprising number of buyers opt for a stick shift, ensuring the manual’s availability for at least the near future. “The BMW M2 Competition still has the manual for a reason, because in the U.S. we have more than a 50 percent take rate on manual transmissions for the M2,” the M chief said. “Buyers vote with their wallets for manual transmissions. Now, being an engineer, I would say from a rational standpoint that even though the manual gearbox is lighter than an automated gearbox, it uses more fuel and is slower, so it doesn’t really make sense . . . But from the emotional standpoint, a lot of customers say, ‘I don’t care, I want to have one.’” Additionaly we read GT3 manual takeup rate was over 50%, and we know about the cayman GT4. maybe manuals are dying in crapboxes, but in the sportscar and sportscar field there is real demand esp in USA. I gues people like actual engagement and enterainment in their sprotscars still, or at least a subgroup do. Not at ferrari apprently, not sure that thats says about ferrari buyers. Gotta hand it to porche though. at the house of P you can still buy a highly strung NA motor and manual. Turns out theyre oversubscribed.
18 months ago I tried to buy a manual BMW 2 series. On the BMW website it listed it as "an option" with the auto as standard. I went to three large dealers in LA. I asked if they had any. One said it was not possible to get a manual anymore. Then he tried to sell me an auto on the lot "for a great price". The second said "no" and would not be getting any. Then he tried to convince me to buy an auto they had "for a great price". A third said it could be ordered but had no idea how long it would take. Six months was their earliest they thought and that it could not be leased because the resale value would be low (aka they are hard to get rid of). Then they tried to sell me an auto they had "at a great price". The problem is dealers don't want them and then turn people off to convince them into buying something right then and there. I found a Mini Cooper S manual that the dealer was soooooooo happy for me to want to buy. He was going to send it to another dealer because he said he couldn't get rid of it. So, I got it "for a great price".
No I got a Manual Mini S. I couldn't wait 6 months. My point is the lack of manuals is partly due to a lack of manuals. Ironic, isn't it?
I would say similar things happened at ferrari witht he F430 manual. Dealers are in many ways lazy and stupid. The only way they know to order a car is "loaded". Most fail to understand the enthusiast drivers market. But then look at BMW s product line today its 90% drivel with the 2m and M2 being the two areas where they still make some sort of drivers car. When i got my e46 m3 its was manual with no sunroof. the dealer freaked and said there could be no resale on such a car. Today it is the holy grail. A sunroof is weight in the wrong place and when stressed with serious cornering deflects. Interestingly in Lotus land the first evora 400s imported were all paddle and did not sell, the manuals imported afterwatrds sell well(for lotus). For certain cars there is a certain type of driver. True most buyers want an auto in their crapbox. But the blanket assumption that everybody wants a paddle in their sporty car is flat wrong, even fiat had to learn this lesson with the fiata.
I agree. I was on the list for a new F430 spider from 2005. Finally got my slot in 2007 for a late 2008 model. When I ordered it I wanted a manual. I was told not to buy one (and instead take the additional $10 grand "option" for the F1 which you have to wonder why it's an option if you have to buy it but that's another story ---). I was told if I ordered it, I may never get the car because they were stopping manual production in 2009 models (which where mainly Scuds and 16m's and a few spiders). So I got the F1 and got a car in May 2008. 458 production began in 2009 for Europe. No more manuals. To my knowledge, not one 2009 F430 spider came with manual. Of course no Scuds or 16m's did either. Coupe production was all Scuds in 2009
I had two 360 manuals, and had earned my spot on the 430 list. I had to wait a year and a half because "all the factory was building was F1's" and my dealer's manual build slot was that far out. At least I got it, but it was an unanticipated long wait.
I was too close to the end of the F430 production to take that risk. What I was told is if I ordered it, the factory may decline it and the delay may cause me to lose my slot. Whatever the story was, there was a coordinated effort to slow down manual car orders in favor of F1's. If you ordered an F1, you got it months faster.
