The slow death of the manual transmission

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westernkicks

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 26, 2016
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I've never owned a car with an automatic transmission. From my 1969 Datsun 2000 roadster to the 2011 Mini Countryman S that currently sits in my garage, I've had a long line of vehicles that required more than just pressing on the accelerator and pointing it toward a destination. Yes, there were a few years when my wife had a Honda CR-V with an automatic transmission. But my cars have always required me to actually shift gears. I plan on continuing this tradition for as long as possible. But I know eventually I'll be forced to drive a car with my left leg sitting idle.

By the end of the next decade, my beloved manual transmission may no longer be an option. In the United States, gas-powered vehicles have been moving away from clutches for years. The perpetually growing SUV (which are almost exclusively fitted with automatic transmissions) market is accelerating that trend.

But the real death of the stick shift will be electric vehicles. Because of the nature of electric motors, a gear box is unnecessary. These cars are capable of accessing their torque at all times. You don't have to downshift to fourth to access the extra power needed to pass a slow-moving car; you just stomp on the accelerator, and there it is.

This is why Tesla's Ludicrous mode is so amazing. There's no need for the driver or an automatic transmission to shift gears. It's just an eye-popping surge of power until you reach top speed or apply the brakes.

Of course, not every electric car will be the quarter-mile-eating Model S. Expect to see more Chevy Bolts in the future -- solid, utilitarian vehicles that will get you to your destination without the stress of running out of charge. The reality is, that's what people want, and who can blame them? If SUVs and the coming wave of EVs didn't kill the manual transmission, gridlock surely will.

With more cars on the road, and those motorways not getting any wider anytime soon, nonstop traffic is a way of life for many Americans. If you're stuck creeping along the highway for two hours a day, having a car with an automatic transmission is a no-brainer. And, frankly, most people just don't want to learn how to drive a stick. Why making motoring more difficult than it already is?

But for me, the additional control that a manual transmission offers is why I love cars. The ability to precisely control the power of a vehicle as it exits a corner on a twisty mountain road is something I've practiced for years. The satisfaction of being able to move forward from a complete stop on one of San Francisco's many steep inclines without stalling is a badge of honor. It's satisfying to drive a manual. To me, it's an important part of the experience.

So I'll hold onto my manual-transmission vehicles for as long as I can. But in the future, I won't be surprised when I ask a car salesman, "So what's the range again?" and drop a wad of cash on a new electric car.
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https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/01/death-of-the-manual-transmission/
 
True story. It will be sad day when I give up my manual-shifting Mini, but that day is coming quite soon, on account of the Bolt that is due to take its place in my garage in a matter of days now. The stick-shift Mini is a truly engaging and fun car to drive, in no small part due to the constant attention to detail demanded by gear selection. Nothing will quite replace working a shifter and clutch pedal, but I am hopeful the Bolt will supply such a new and different driving experience that I will mourn its passing just a little bit less.
 
I have had my manual Miata for almost twenty years, I have no intention of letting it go, too much fun. My new Bolt is going to replace our aging gas guzzling SUV. Driving a short throw six speed manual transmission is a lot fun and in Wine country there are a lot great roads to drive it on. My first car I had at college was a four speed mini 0-60 in three days.
 
I've owned many manuals over the years, and letting that go was one of the saddest parts of going electric. The instant torque helps make up for it, though. I'm sure the Bolt will be fun and engaging to drive. It would be better if it were AWD (or at least RWD), though. And if the driver sat closer to the pavement.
 
GetOffYourGas said:
I've owned many manuals over the years, and letting that go was one of the saddest parts of going electric. The instant torque helps make up for it, though. I'm sure the Bolt will be fun and engaging to drive. It would be better if it were AWD (or at least RWD), though. And if the driver sat closer to the pavement.
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[First post here, but regular on several EV forums] Yeah, when it finally comes time to get a PEV, giving up a clutch and stick will be my biggest regret, as by choice that's all I've ever owned. I at least want maximum control of regen steps to give me something to do while driving on winding, mountainous roads - I'm just not into the much more detached driving typical of an automatic, even though I use the gears for compression braking. Paddle shifters are better than nothing, but hardly provide the same melding of man-machine that a properly executed double-clutch downshift does. Like the original author, I too once owned a '69 Datsun 2000 (#12133, my second car, after the '65 Impala SS 283/three on the tree w/OD that I learned to drive on), still the most fun car to drive I've ever owned, with a great short-throw box and the stick less than a hands-width from the large, no-power-assist wheel. Minis and Miatas are a blast too, and a friend's S2000 was nice, if (like many free-revving Honda engines) a bit too peaky in around-town driving for my taste.
 
The true hardcore Chevy fans will never let go of their super performing Muncie M21 Rock Crusher gearbox
 
Devout Chrysler fans have been supportive since the early sixties of their A- 833 4 fully synchronized 4 speed available in everything from 6 cylinder Valiants to rip Snortin Max wedges. Don't think any of those folks will let go easily
 
You could modulate the throttle on the Bolt to simulate the torque curve of an ICE running thru the gears :p
 
GRA said:
GetOffYourGas said:
I've owned many manuals over the years, and letting that go was one of the saddest parts of going electric. The instant torque helps make up for it, though. I'm sure the Bolt will be fun and engaging to drive. It would be better if it were AWD (or at least RWD), though. And if the driver sat closer to the pavement.
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[First post here, but regular on several EV forums] Yeah, when it finally comes time to get a PEV, giving up a clutch and stick will be my biggest regret, as by choice that's all I've ever owned. I at least want maximum control of regen steps to give me something to do while driving on winding, mountainous roads - I'm just not into the much more detached driving typical of an automatic, even though I use the gears for compression braking. Paddle shifters are better than nothing, but hardly provide the same melding of man-machine that a properly executed double-clutch downshift does. Like the original author, I too once owned a '69 Datsun 2000 (#12133, my second car, after the '65 Impala SS 283/three on the tree w/OD that I learned to drive on), still the most fun car to drive I've ever owned, with a great short-throw box and the stick less than a hands-width from the large, no-power-assist wheel. Minis and Miatas are a blast too, and a friend's S2000 was nice, if (like many free-revving Honda engines) a bit too peaky in around-town driving for my taste.
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Welcome to the Bolt forum, Guy. I assume you are the same "GRA" from the Leaf forum. If so, you certainly bring a unique perspective to the table.

I used to own an S2000, and it was certainly the most fun car I've ever owned. I didn't have an issue with it for around-town driving, but I don't live in as densely urban of an area as you do. I rarely drove it into the city of Syracuse, largely for fear of vandals (I had a beater civic, also with a stick shift). Where that car really shines is the windy mountain roads through either the Adirondacks or Catskill mountains. I look forward to traveling those roads in a true EV, hopefully some day soon. If that EV is a Bolt, I will likely look to tighten the suspension, and maybe lower it an inch or two. A Model III or IDS would do nicely too, although I doubt Nissan will build anything quite like the IDS.
 
GetOffYourGas said:
Welcome to the Bolt forum, Guy. I assume you are the same "GRA" from the Leaf forum. If so, you certainly bring a unique perspective to the table.
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Yep, that's me.

GetOffYourGas said:
I used to own an S2000, and it was certainly the most fun car I've ever owned. I didn't have an issue with it for around-town driving, but I don't live in as densely urban of an area as you do. I rarely drove it into the city of Syracuse, largely for fear of vandals (I had a beater civic, also with a stick shift). Where that car really shines is the windy mountain roads through either the Adirondacks or Catskill mountains. I look forward to traveling those roads in a true EV, hopefully some day soon. If that EV is a Bolt, I will likely look to tighten the suspension, and maybe lower it an inch or two. A Model III or IDS would do nicely too, although I doubt Nissan will build anything quite like the IDS.
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It's a question of a daily commuter, which my Datsun 2000 was, as well as my 'take it out for an hour and push it on the twisties' car. Don't get me wrong, the S2000 wasn't bad, just the torque curve required a little too much rowing around town to be ideal, where by contrast the Datsun could pull from 1,500 RPM in 5th if you had a light foot, or 2,000 if you didn't, while still revving freely up to the redline. It's been years, but ISTR that the S2000 wasn't happy much below 2,500, and maybe 3,000. A blast to wind out, though.
 
Yeah, that sounds about right. I don't know about the Datsun, but the S2000 had a very high-revving 4 cylinder. The original engine had the highest power output per displacement of any production engine (at the time, maybe still today), with 240HP from a 2.0L. The one I had was the 2.2L, still with 240HP. Mine had a little more low-end torque (and a slightly lower redline, IIRC) compared to the original. I don't know which you drove, but neither version had the best low-end pull. That's not how the car was designed to be driven :D. Once you rev the engine above 6k or so, you feel the VTEC kick in and the car lurches forward. The trick to really enjoying the S2000 was keeping the engine between 6k and 9k RPM.

By contrast, my Leaf has a great deal of low-end torque, and just loves the commuter/city driving. Any EV will likely be similar. It's kind of the opposite of the S2000 - great low-end torque / almost under powered on the highway. The Bolt seems to have enough power to keep up on the highway, but physics will still limit you at some point...
 
GetOffYourGas said:
Yeah, that sounds about right. I don't know about the Datsun, but the S2000 had a very high-revving 4 cylinder. The original engine had the highest power output per displacement of any production engine (at the time, maybe still today), with 240HP from a 2.0L. The one I had was the 2.2L, still with 240HP. Mine had a little more low-end torque (and a slightly lower redline, IIRC) compared to the original. I don't know which you drove, but neither version had the best low-end pull. That's not how the car was designed to be driven :D. Once you rev the engine above 6k or so, you feel the VTEC kick in and the car lurches forward. The trick to really enjoying the S2000 was keeping the engine between 6k and 9k RPM.

By contrast, my Leaf has a great deal of low-end torque, and just loves the commuter/city driving. Any EV will likely be similar. It's kind of the opposite of the S2000 - great low-end torque / almost under powered on the highway. The Bolt seems to have enough power to keep up on the highway, but physics will still limit you at some point...
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The Datsun (with Hitachi-SU carbs, like mine, instead of the Solexes) had 135 hp @ 5,600, and 132 ft./lbs @4,400, but its curb weight was only 2,100 lb. By modern standards it wasn't particularly fast, somewhere in the low to mid 9-sec. 0-60 range depending on who tested it IIRR, but for its day it was quite competitive, and critical to me it was one of the first cars with a 5-spd, with 5th being an overdrive ratio (.85:1). It wasn't a true SOHC cam engine let alone a DOHC - it used a jackshaft, and that may have been why it pulled well at low revs.

Re the S2000, I don't remember what year it was, and the friend who owned it moved across the country and we've lost touch, so I can't ask. As I said, Honda engines love to be revved, and driven that way they're a blast. But for routine trolling around town or stop and go freeway driving, not my first choice. I can't remember the Datsun's redline, but it was fairly low, ISTR 6,500 or 7,000.
 

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