The Demise of Manual Transmissions: Why Fewer Cars Have Stick Shifts

As far as I know, automatic transmission was the most expensive option you could add a few decades ago. From some old car brochures I read, at least automatic transmission added about 20–30% to the price of the car. Let’s say you bought a sedan for $5,000 in the 1960s. An automatic transmission costs more than $200. That was quite an expensive option, and not everyone liked it.

Also, automatic transmissions until the early 2000s were sluggish; there was no way you could expect high performance from them, and basically they were only installed on common cars; it was almost impossible for high-performance cars to use them, and manuals were still preferred; you could shift quickly, and they were way cheaper, so what’s not to like?

I once spoke with an older man who tried Powerglide or any 2–3 speed ​​automatic; it was not built for performance at all and was installed on common cars; the plus points were practicality and comfort; there was a time when those were synonymous with luxury cars because they were comfortable; “shifting gears is only for peasants.” Maybe that was what the engineers thought at that time.

In addition, automatic transmission uses more fuel, so not everyone likes it.

But I think everything changed in the early 2000s (maybe the late 80s for US people); automatic transmissions were sophisticated, especially in the computer era; they were cheap, so they could be installed anywhere, and in some ways their performance was the same as a manual transmission, or maybe better. I think it happened because of their ability to “communicate” better than a manual transmission; you can’t manipulate or get a manual transmission to work with the ECU in terms of performance; okay, maybe you can, but not much.

Just compare automatic cars from the early 2000s to the 2010s; newer cars are more responsive and have almost the same acceleration as manual ones. That’s news because we always felt that comfort had to be traded for performance, but now it’s not, so why choose a manual car? Automatics can produce almost the same performance (or, in some ways, better) and are more practical.

Some sports cars or supercars can shift in ms, like the Ferrari 360, which is given an AMT transmission; basically, it is the same technology as F1, and your hands can’t match it. Newer sports cars also produce the same performance as automatic transmissions, and the system is more efficient; some even use dual-clutch for better performance, and the price is quite affordable—maybe not “very cheap,” but if compared to a few decades ago, it’s a steal.

In the 2010s, it seemed like almost every car came with an automatic transmission option, even the budget-friendly ones. Honestly, the difference between manual and automatic isn’t that big these days, so most people just go for the automatic. It’s simpler and easier to maintain.

I think manual transmission is abandoned for that reason; performance-wise, it has been defeated by automatic and in terms of price, sometimes there is not much difference so most people will choose automatic transmission. Those manual cars only exist in some of the lowest trim cars and sports cars that are still designed to provide an engagement feel when driving; besides, manual transmission is rarely used.

People will choose something practical and now automatic transmission is an example. The price is cheap and the technology allows it to be installed in any car, along with performance and economy that are not much different. Manual transmission will only exist for those who still want it, but in some ways it is obsolete.