Manual clutch sighted!

[Rob S.]

One of my little brothers just bought a 2021 Porsche Boxster with a six-speed stick shift with a...wait for it...clutch pedal. I'm so proud! I taught them well.

But I wouldn't be surprised to hear they're no longer making them that way. Sigh. Horseman, pass by.

[Baatfam]

Rob, I drive a manual all the time...Not a big deal...Still lots of them out there...

[Rob S.]

But what year is it? Are they still being made?

[Baatfam]

But what year is it? Are they still being made?

2017...

[Rob S.]

I think that's the same shift pattern as the Porsche. (I haven't driven it yet.)

What make and model is that?

[Rich82GS750TZ]

A Dr.friend of mine showed me his new Porsche when it was new a few years ago. I was surprised to see the auto trans in it. I had just assumed he bought it because he actually likes driving. I was disappointed. He told me that most of what he looked at were auto. Third pedals few and far between. My Mini Countryman is a stick and I love it. But Mini (BMW) too went through a period in the last few years where they only made autos in most If not all models. Now I believe that you can order one with a six speed. I’m sure the autos with the paddle shifters on the steering wheel are fun but can’t be as much fun as throwing that stick.

Made my heart feel good when my younger sun wanted to trade his Prius for something with a stick. I gave him some lessons in the Mini, and while at school, a buddy let him drive a 2011 328ix. He ended up buying an identical one with a manual trans.

Here’s a crazy story. Noah drove the car for 4 months at college. Car caught fire. Apparently oil had leaked from the valve cover gasket onto the Cat. Apparently it burned enough stuff that the insurance company totaled it. We got a decent payout. I was kind of glad to be rid of it. I didn’t want to have to try and sell a burnt car when the kid leaves for the Air Force soon. Well some thrifty mechanic/car flipper found my sons Gmail in the CarPlay head unit he installed, told Noah he bought the car cheap at auction and fixed everything wrong with it, and offered my kid first dibs on buying it. Of course, my son didn’t tell me any of this. I only found out when Christine (name I have given her) showed up in my driveway. I guess sh!t does wipe off (some of you will get the reference). He and some buddies drove a few hundred miles to get this car back. I get it. He loves the car. But I certainly would have tried to talk him out of it. We had to get it through an enhanced state inspection. It passed. His car is in better shape than it was before the fire and he made money in the deal- enough to buy a really nice set of wheels for it. I just hope the car has what it takes to get from here to where he ends up being stationed.

[rphillips]

Those little cars losing the clutch is a little thing. I'm remembering the10 speeds, 13 speeds, 15 double overs, and 4 X 5 trannys in the big rigs. I quit the big trucks in "88", and back then an automatic in a dump truck or road tractor was very rarely even heard of. . Today many, maybe most of them have lost the clutch. Just plain old evolution, eventually will be the same with EV's or possibly hydrogen, just depends on which gets figured out first.

[trevor]

My wife when she bought her new civic sport touring turbo she ordered it with manual....my Italian buddy at the dealership fell in love with my wife at that moment...lol...he said "no one ever orders a manual....especially a woman!! My wife is beyond cool...
Her 1968 Fiat 500 is of course a manual and my GMC short box truck is a manual....and my son's Celica GT is a manual....my dog doesn't drive but is "4 on the floor"....

[Rob S.]

...10 speeds, 13 speeds, 15 double overs, and 4 X 5 trannys in the big rigs.

"Five Gears In Reverse" - cool Elvis Costello song circa 1980.

[unfocused]

I drive a manual Toyota Tacoma. I laughed when I purchased a clutch kit offline for less than $200 and replaced it myself. A lot cheaper than a $6k auto trans rebuild and don't get me started on CV transmissions...

[storm 64]

When I was young I would go back and forth from automatic to standard. I'd get tired of shifting then buy a automatic. Then I'd want to shift again...
I remember reading that using the clutch could cause hip and back problems later in life. I suppose it could be true...
My GS 1100 was set up to up-shift with a press of a button. That would lower you ET about a second.
My new motorcycle has a quick-shift. That's pretty fun when getting on the highway!

[Sandy]

My wife when she bought her new civic sport touring turbo she ordered it with manual....my Italian buddy at the dealership fell in love with my wife at that moment...lol...he said "no one ever orders a manual....especially a woman!! My wife is beyond cool...
Her 1968 Fiat 500 is of course a manual and my GMC short box truck is a manual....and my son's Celica GT is a manual....my dog doesn't drive but is "4 on the floor"....

Opposite of that happened when my wife (age 73 at the time) bought her 2020 Outback that was an automatic, standard wasn't available. She looked at the new young salesman and asked if he would teach her how to drive it. With a puzzled look on his face she explained she had never driven an automatic and didn't know how this funny looking lever thing worked. True story except she did drive the motorhome on occasion.

[Grimly]

One of my little brothers just bought a 2021 Porsche Boxster with a six-speed stick shift with a...wait for it...clutch pedal. I'm so proud! I taught them well.

But I wouldn't be surprised to hear they're no longer making them that way. Sigh. Horseman, pass by.

I shall NOT be buying a modern flappy-paddle or automatic gearbox in my next car. Heard too many expensive stories about them.

[Mary Hinge]

In Europe manual is the "Standard" option for the majority of small - medium size cars.

[salty_monk]

UK is still mostly stick same, few more auto's seen there now though. If you get a license in an Auto you're not allowed to drive stick over there, they give you a restricted license. We've always had at least one stick here... Latest is a 2005 Cooper S. My friend has a Cayman S with a stick in it, I can't imagine how an auto can be more fun...... most of the younger generation here in the US can't drive stick it seems.