Isn’t it interesting how, when Jaguar introduced the F-Type without a manual transmission option, petrol heads all over the world screamed their heads off and decried the F-Type as not a proper sports car? And woe unto Jaguar, for not knowing what a sports car was, if it rear-ended them at 250 mph on the Mulsanne Straight.
Well, guess what? Jaguar did eventually make a manual option available, and almost no one went for it. Less than four percent of all F-Types sold, according to en estimate by Car and Driver. It’s not all doom and gloom though, the manual option will still be available in the UK. So, there’s that.
I’d love me one. I just can’t afford a 70k depreciating asset and have no indoor storage. I’ve had my eye on a used one in the 30s for some time though. It will probably never happen though since the few out there are going to be highly sought after.
I quit driving cars with auto. tranny’s somewhere in the 1980’s. It was because I had a really nice car with auto., but in the years I owned it, I spent more on keeping the transmission alive than I had spent on the entire car itself. I just got sick of the performance and the expense.
I don’t think there is an automatic alive that can give you the complete control between your right foot and the cohesive traction between the road and your rear tire. When you drive on the “edge”, the slightest of difference between a “push” or “letting up” of traction can keep the car under your control, as well as the ability ot switch from one to the other.
I know this only makes sense to those of you who love to drive “sideways”, and know how that skill has changed with the invention/change from biased to radial tires.
LLoyd
Don’t you just hate those who live in the US for ten years and never bother to learn the language?
I think no one should graduate from grade school without learning either Cherokee, Apache, Ute or Arapaho.
Hi Gunnar,sad really,interest is there once this type of car depreciates,used Audi S 5’s and Infinity G 37’s with a manual transmissions seem to sell a lot faster than the automatics in my area.
Regards Gerry 62 ots Ontario Canada.
Not really, I agree with you and I don’t drive like that. Three of our 4 vehicles are manuals. Both The Boss and I feel more involved driving an car with a manual. Our one slushbox equipped car is a Mercedes convertible that’s a fun car to drive that would be better with 5 speed and clutch pedal.
