jdsaengine

Thats why we decided to order now vs waiting till 2019. Fear that a M7 or a convertible would be available. I can't see how a mid engine vette in the similar configuration of a Ford GT40 can ever be a convertible. But I guess Ferrari has done it, so you never know

LimeyC5

Thanks, OP. Way back in 2005 at the NCM C5/C6 Bash I asked Will Cooksey, then the plant manager, what the proportion of manuals to automatics was at the time. He scratched his head a bit and finally said about 1 in 3. The Z06 was not quite in production then, so it could not skew the numbers for manuals. So things have not changed that much since then, at least up to 2015. The drop in manuals in 2016 and 2016 is really surprising.

rmorin1249

All the data among pretty much all manufacturers is that the manual transmission is a dying breed. BMW, Porsche and Audi are all dropping manuals on many of their models sold in the USA. Sad, but true.

jimmyb

Thanks Joe. I completely forgot about the early constraint on A8's in the 2015 Z06. I'm not sure about the M7's in 2017

jimmyb

It is amazing, isn't it. Can you imagine someone coming on this forum in 2008 and saying: "By calendar 2015, there will be NO 3 pedal Ferraris, Lamborghini's, or McLarens".

There are a good number of posts on FerrariChat bemoaning the loss of 3 pedal cars from Ferrari....but when you COULD buy a manual (in the 430), the F1 transmission still made up over 90% of the orders (if memory serves, the F1 transmission was a $10K option!!!).
Kind of like the Viper....everyone professes their love, but nobody buys it (or not enough to sustain it).

mschuyler

Tadge has said, "Enjoy them while you can." At a certain point it will become a supply issue as there are only a few manual transmission makers left. When it becomes unprofitable to make them, they'll simply go away. It's a downward spiral because with fewer manuals on the roads, we're not teaching the next generation how to drive them. They simply do not have the opportunity. If parents won't teach their kids, it's guaranteed the kids will avoid them. To my Dad, who learned to drive in the thirties, there was no choice. There won't be for our younger grandchildren either.

Tom/99

Thanks for the info. I'm happy I ordered my 2015 coupe with the 7 speed manual.

RedC7AZ

It looks like there will be few manual drivers left in 20 years. With the demand so low for manuals will this have a negative impact on manual car values?

mschuyler

I think I remember a previous discussion where someone associated with the auction scene stated that is already the case.

jdsaengine

My kids can worry about that when they settle my estate

mschuyler

Point was that there is no need to wait until then.

Snowwolfe

Doubt it. Watch Mecum or Barret Jackson auctions. Manuals always command a higher price on muscle cars and earlier Corvettes.

L1FRDOG

Not Auto vs Manual just me musing...


Why I like Autos...
- Easy
- Traffic
- I like to drink my Coffee on way to work
- I don't have to make decisions unless I want to
- Better gas mileage
- Faster Shifts
- and about a 1,000 other things people have posted...


Why I love MY M7
- I LOVE MY M7.
- who cares, I got what I wanted!


L1FRDOG

RedC7AZ

That's now, which has nothing to do with 20 years down the road, when there will be few manual drivers to even drive the cars.

Foosh

I have a sneaking suspicion that manuals will be come even more in demand, hence valuable, as they become harder to find, even 20 years in the future. After all, collector car value is all about rarity.

RonnieC6Z

Ferrari & Lambo discontinued manuals because over 90% of those sold had automatics. Porsche, 3 years ago talked about discontinuing manuals in all 911's. That talk has been scrapped. In fact, now there is talk of once again offering manuals in the 911 turbo and turbo S. Keep in mind that 911's, Boxsters and Caymans are sports cars. BMW, Audi and Mercedes make very few sports cars. McLaren and other supercar brands never offered manuals. If 20-25% of Vette buyers want manuals, then I believe that the manual gear box will continue to be offered. I also believe that in 2018 or 2019, when the C8 mid engine Vette arrives, it will offer both gear boxes because there will no longer be a front engine Vette.

thill444

Those Lambo and Ferrari manuals are well sought out and will likely increase even more in value.

Some of these companies are also focused on bench times. The modern automatics (at least the good ones) will always shift faster than a human. These companies are squeezing every bit of performance out of their super cars that they can to one up each other.

RonnieC6Z

This is true. But keep in mind that the extremely large majority of Ferraris, Lambos, McLarens, Paganis, etc. will never see a race track.
Furthermore, compared to Corvette, Porsche, etc., these cars are very limited production cars. They will not loose any sales by not offering a manual box.