4/13/2023 0 Comments Handshaker manual transmisionThe irony, of course, is that the effort comes at a time when most high-end performance carmakers like Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini are moving away from manuals in favour of dual-clutch “automated manual” transmissions that are capable of changing gears faster than any human could. So while many CTS-V and Sonic drivers will end up buying cars with automatic transmissions for practical reasons-they are easier to drive in stop-and-go traffic while balancing a cellphone and Starbucks coffee-marketers know that they probably still like to think of themselves as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst at, says there has long been an association in people’s minds between manual transmissions and performance. But dig a little further and it becomes apparent that the recent love affair with the stick shift may have more to do with marketing than changing motoring habits. It’s estimated that only about 10 per cent of all vehicles on the road are equipped with manual transmissions, and that they account for as few as five per cent of new car purchases (although they remain popular in Europe). Meanwhile, Mazda and Mini are also talking about manuals in their ads, suggesting a resurgence in an aging automotive technology that, based on sales figures at least, appeared to be all but dead in North America. As his hand reaches for the leather shift knob, a narrator asks: “Why did we build a 556-horsepower luxury car with a manual transmission? Because there are those who still believe in the power of a firm handshake.” Another recent ad, for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, also shows clips of the car being driven with a five-speed stick shift, amid images of young people listening to music and taking pictures of each other with their iPhones. In a recent ad for the Cadillac CTS-V coupe, a well-groomed man wearing a suit speeds down a lonely road through the forest.
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