Driving a manual car is much more than manually changing gears. Let's share our author's thoughts with you.
When I was little, I used to change gears in the back seat of my dad's manual BMW 3.25i on my way to school. The mechanical link between man and machine, I think, was really great. In fact, thanks to these and similar experiences, I became interested in cars and we became close with my father. As a result, we're both better off.
Driving a manual car involves much more than just feeling in control of a vehicle.
With my dad by my side, I managed the grueling learning curve of learning to shift gears. I don't feel bad if I admit that I took a few parking sessions to master the basics. Fewer children seem to have the opportunity as manuals become more scarce.
Most automakers have adopted a comprehensive electrification strategy and, as early as 2030, have switched most of their product range to plug-in vehicles rather than fuel-powered models. In the current environment, building cars with three pedals and gear levers is also seen as a waste of time. .
Based on Statistics
As dire as it sounds in America, the current market share of manual cars is extremely small. According to data from Cars.com, the decline is taking much longer than I expected, and 1980 was the manual transmission's latest peak production year, with 34,6% of US sales. A few decades later, in 2010, that figure had dropped completely to 3,4%, and in 2020 it would have been just 1,5%. This indicates that the market share of the manuals is falling even as I lower the clutch from the passenger seat.
What caused such a rapid manual drop? As automatic transmissions evolved over time, they gradually replaced the need for manual transmissions. What was initially a fuzzy and fuzzy shifting experience has become fast and effective. The benefits of automatic transmission today are as follows.
more efficiency
Manual gearboxes fall short in this competition because they are too slow to change gears. No matter how fast you paddle between gears, a modern automatic will always crush you. For example: With Porsche's industry-leading PDK automatic transmission, it only takes eight milliseconds to shift gears. Life is becoming more enjoyable now for low-class people like me. It's because gear changes are almost instantaneous, thanks to dual-clutch technology that's making its way into more consumer-grade cars.
More Effective
The claim that manual transmission vehicles are more efficient than automatic transmission vehicles is quite common. That may have been the case in 1980, but circumstances have changed a lot since then. The EPA claims that in 2012 the automatic transmission has more gears than the manual transmission.
Today's cars often have 7-, 8-, 9-, and even 10-speed transmissions. Why? More gears, higher fuel efficiency. On the highway, higher rates require fewer revs, resulting in better gas mileage.
By crossing this limit, automakers can adapt to Corporate Average Fuel Economy without relying on shift-shift cars (CAFE). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requirements set out here regulate how far a vehicle can travel on a single gallon of fuel. Manual transmission has become less of a necessity for OEMs as performance and economy are increasing rapidly and are more of a personal preference for enthusiasts like myself.
The news took me by surprise because I am the proud owner of one of the pioneering hot hatchbacks, the manual Volkswagen GTI. The golf knob shift knob was an invention of one of my favorite automotive designers, Gunhild Liljequist, who also created the interior of the original Mk 1 GTI. Why? Why? Because he found it fun and unique.
It adheres to the philosophy of the first car that moves slower than navigating but still manages to make you smile broadly. Regardless of the GTI's history regarding my contemporary daily driving, I'm often asked "Isn't it annoying to shift gears?" I am faced with questions such as:
Sometimes I run into people who have no idea what a manual transmission is. It's time to punctuate the manual transmission timeline, but all good things must come to an end. However, it's still disappointing to witness a decline in interest in spending time mastering mechanical skills in this age of limitless connectivity and quick rewards.
And if it weren't for those early memories of driving with my dad, I wouldn't be where I am now.
Source: Popular Mechanics
📩 25/08/2022 22:19
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