Modern cars have become increasingly desensitized to fun. Safety features have made cars heavier, along with automatic transmissions that have further dulled the experience, resulting in a less-than-engaging driving experience. Manual cars may be the last link to the type of fun driving we’ve long forgotten and desperately need. All is not lost just yet.
What if I told you thatreturning to the source of funcould be the start of a new love affair, or perhaps a forgotten one, with a hint of midlife crisis to refresh the driving experience? No one’s judging. This will be as genuine and authenticly pure experience as you’ll find and something you have to own and enjoy at least once in your life.
PDKs and dual-clutch transmissions may be faster but are they better?
For the sake of clarity, and subjectivity aside, ”Better” in this case means “more fun”. Modern transmissions, such as Porsche’s PDK, are incredibly quick and surpass human ability in terms of speed and reliability. Effortless shifts that manuals otherwise can’t replicate without a break in concentration. We get that driving fast on a track is all about spare mental capacity, but if an automatic transmission takes some responsibility away (and some of the fun), how can it be better?
To drive that point home, sample any earlier Porsche GT3 (in my case, a 997 Gen 1) in manual, and you’ll quickly understand that modern is quicker, faster, and the list goes on, but not necessarily better. Yes, around a track the PDK transmission will give you a lower lap time but will you drive home with a bigger smile? I’ll wait for the answer in the comment section.
You may also be saving money in the process thanks to a manual transmission
For as long as we can remember, manual transmissions have been rolling off production lines associated with the more affordable versions of car models on offer. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the car was bad. That meant that the car was, in most cases, simpler to maintain, which inadvertently made it more focused on the driving experience and fun. Think Miata.
For generations, Mazda and its Miata platform have been the benchmark of affordable and enjoyable rear-wheel-drive experiences in manual. Has that detracted away from the driving experience? Speak to any generation Miata owner after a canyon carving spirited drive, and be prepared for an even more spirited account. Proving that fun from a manual didn’t ever need to break the bank. Here are a fewexamples of lower-powered manual cars existthat also offer affordable kicks—both the front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive variants. Dial in.
No Risk, No Reward – Manuals Will Keep You Honest
Anyone who’s ever experienced the infamous “Money Shift” will know where we’re headed with this. Yes, manuals may be the youthful experience but get a shift wrong and the fun will stop needing an engine rebuild, thanks to a change from fourth to third gear instead of fifth on an upshift. “High Risk, high reward”. But without the risk, the fun may not be as much fun.
That is the (hidden) risky element of manuals and part of the magic that keeps the experience pure and honest. It’s like playing poker with no money to lose.It just doesn’t feel right.You need to have something to lose to understand how good it feels when things go right and you win. That’s risk and reward. Manuals are particularly good at that, adding to the overall experience even though you might be living in fear of a potential catastrophe, being the misaligned flat upshift.
Manual Shifting – along with the experience, a learning curve awaits
Dog-leg, H-pattern, synchromesh, helical, straight-cut, gear ratios, input and output shafts, double-clutching. The list of “IFYKYK” flexing terms goes on. Apart from enhancing your trackside credentials, they make the joy of learning how things work satisfying. That is if learning is your thing, and hey, no one ever said they wanted to rebuild a CVT transmission just yet and I have a feeling it will remain that way.
Full disclaimer: I’ll be the first to encourage anyone to disassemble and rebuild a manual transmission, just as I did with a classic Mini transmission. Kits are available online, and in the wonderful age of information, there are plenty available resources and forums that are helpful. This will lead to a greater sense of mechanical understanding and sympathy. I assure you that the knowledge acquiring process will improve your driving, prolong the life of your transmission, and perhaps even save you more money.
Manuals - They Make for Better Storytelling
At the end of the day, what’s the point of doing something if you can’t share it with friends or better? Post it online! Like those bar anecdotes that begin with “no good stories begin with milk.” Well, no good racing story begins with an automatic transmission. You can trademark that.
Manual transmissions are one of the keys in unlocking that next level of excitement and along with it, legendary motoring status – go and pull the trigger. It’s a rite of passage in many ways and we don’t dare challenge what the car deity intended things rightfully to be.
Manuals – They Make for Wise Investing in Many Cases
Honda described the S2000 as a “gift to the world.” They also said that you could change gears without having to move your wrist, ensured 50:50 weight distribution, and 240 horsepower sent through a 9,000rpm limiting rev range. At the center of it all, a manual gearbox being the golden thread tying it all together.
All of this contributes to the S2000 accumulating in value. A good second-hand version with low mileage could fetch over $33,000 today, compared to the original list price of $32,000 back in 2000. I hardly think the same would be if there were an automatic transmission instead of the manual. If you’re looking for a more modern front-wheel drive option, considerHonda’s Civic Type R.
While quality examples of Honda’s S2000 are dwindling, nowadays, you can get a very similar feel from a Toyota GR86. It’s another modern classic in the making, and what’s the common thread between the two? Among other attributes, is another manual transmission. If the GR86 doesn’t suit your needs, for other potential modern classics, there are plenty ofnew manual cars that you can buy.Indulge.
Manuals are the Best of the Past and Present
Modern-day manuals combine the best of both worlds, where old meets new, combining the engagement of past days with newer technology and a greater reliance from improved tech, better materials, and better engineering design to address future-proof issues from the past while still ensuring the driveability benefits associated with manuals. No one’s losing (when you’re not stuck in traffic).
We’ve come a long way, but ask anyone who’s been in the car game for a short or longer period, modern manuals are a total win when seeking the full driving experience—need more convincing? Check out asecond-hand option that punches above its weightand that won’t break the bank – the BMW’s G87 M2, in manual, of course. The Germans know a thing or two about building a quality manual sports car-like option.
Manuals - It’s an Art Form so Can You Heel and Toe?
Sure, auto blipping to rev match on modern cars might make us appear mighty but we all know the truth. We didn’t do that. The machine did. But get that ‘ol heel and toe party trick right, and you’ll have bragging rights for days. It is an authentic driving skill that can be learned – a true art form that will enrich your driving experience.
The reality is that the art of shifting is no longer the same in modern automatic boxes as what you’ll find associated to a manual. They have nanny systems preventing you from spinning out, missing a shift or worse, missing the fulfillment good driving form like the heel and toe technique provide. It’s not a bad thing at all and keeps the manual experience pure.
While it’s widely agreed that automatic transmissions are the preferred choice for everyday driving and many high-speed driving scenarios, manual transmissions serve a special offering. Don’t just take the driving purist’s take on this contentious topic. Manualsarethe fountain of youth that every driver needs to drink from at some point, and if you’ve been delaying it for whatever reason, I urge you to step over to the dark side and engage (no pun intended).
What you will find is something beyond just putting in more work, pushing a third foot pedal. It’ll unlock more of the driving experience, get you more involved, and show you more fun, which is exactly what driving needs to be about in the end.
