Even though there are still a lot of cars with manual transmissions available to purchase today, the automatic transmission has earned its crown as the most desired transmission to obtain. That has undoubtedly something to do with the market itself, which over the last 70 years has offered in one way or another car with an automated gear selection. Also, the manual transmission was mostly to be found in either high-performance sports cars or entry-level budget vehicles. With the technological evolution, however, automakers have found a way to swap the manual with faster-acting semi-automatic units in sports cars and more efficient automatics in entry-level cars. And with each passing year the number of cars equipped with a manual transmission steadily decreases and at up-to-date only 10 cars exists that can be bought only with manual transmission.
Even though they are less efficient and fast than their automatics counterparts, the manual remains luring for the drivers, who want to be able to row their own gears and have more control over cars when turning corners. But the future for the manual transmission is not that bright – just think of the Fiat 500 Abarth and Volkswagen Golf R, both of which are now available with an automatic transmission.
So, let’s look at the 10 last manual-only cars in North America.
10.Dodge Viper
Geared with a massive
8.4-liter pushrod V10 engine capable of
645 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque, the Dodge Viper has always been the alien in the world of sports cars, doing things differently in the sports car world. Then it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Viper is the sports hammer that’s declined the dual-clutch automatic transmission option in the face of the fully engaging
six-speed manual gearbox.
Next page for other 9 Manual-Only cars!1/6
