NX01

Hey I had to run to the store. While I was out I saw my 1st 05 C6 Vette in the flesh and guess what? It had an auto trans in it. Go figure.

RACER

The Honda CR-V is no longer available in the 5 speed. The Toyota 4 Runner is only available in Automatic now.

Warren J. Dew

GM performance cars have for a very long time been targeted at the automatic transmission crowd. As far back as 1988, I had to special order a Trans Am in order to get a manual transmission. I can't count the number of times I've heard, "that's the first Trans Am I've seen with a manual in it", or "I didn't know they made those with manuals".

Driving around town today, I was reminded of why I like manual transmissions and normally aspirated engines. The drive train is direct, with no fluid coupling, and the lack of delay makes it much easier to squirt past other cars or through holes in traffic.

Chazmo

I'll be interested to see the sales numbers on this in a year. The C5 with an auto is like a sumo wrestler with his hands tied behind his back.

valentine

The end of the manual transmission discussion has been going on ever since the auto-transmission came to be. I think that as long as there is a market for real sports cars (and chances are that'll be quite a while) there will be manual transmissions available. One of the best assurances that manuals will stay in the picture is to teach your kids how to drive them. (BTW -- two years ago I let my daughter "learn" and still have two beautiful tire marks in the driveway -- perfect S02 treads; probably about 2k miles of wear when she tried to take off using the clutch for the first time) . (And we complain about torque???)

FO2K

My first car, a '56 Studebaker Powerhawk had a column mounted three speed. I used to shift so hard on the 1-2 shift that the shift lever bent into a "U" shape, so you had to reach over the steering wheel for second and reverse. I installed a floor shifter out of necessity. .

I was really hard on that car. The inside race on the mainshaft going into the transmission wore, and allowed the bearings (1/2" dia.) to fall into the transmission. It drove OK on level ground, the bearings had room in the bottom of the case below the cluster gear. But onetime going down a steep grade, the bearings rolled forward and locked up the drivetrain. When I replaced the transmission, the oil looked like gold paint, from the ground up synchro rings.

Boy, they sure don't build 'em like they used to.