The Disappearance of the Manual Transmission – Sports Cars

When on Ferrari F355 F1 appeared there shoulder bladesI was still a fascinated child: to be able to change speed gear as with Formula XNUMX cars, it seemed like a dream.

However, now that I have grown up, I become melancholic and more and more realize how majestic and important they are to fun un mechanical mechanical transmission e three pedals.

Making a list sports cars modern I noticed one thing: Italian cars have declared war Transmission.

There is no more even a shadow on Ferrari and Lamborghini, on Maserati, the same; Pagani Huayra is installed only with an electric drive. Even the Alfa Romeo 4C - a car with much more accessible performance that would be perfect with a manual - doesn't have one.

Manual transmission: the situation abroad

But not only we want "hug the future“When it comes to levers, even the Germans and Japanese are following this trend: just look at the Porsche GT3 and Nissan GTR.

Paradoxically, the newest manual sports cars equipped with an important knighthood are built by people who love automatic transmissions more than anyone else: Americans.

So far, the only chance for us to tinker with the pedals and do heel (or at least tempt us) is small cars or midsize sedans (and some coupes), for our Yankee friends the solution is to take a Corvette, Viper, Mustang or any other interpretation of the modern muscle car.

Manual sports cars: some options

If you are looking for a car to drive arms and legs, just look abroad.

You can bring home a lot of horses and a lot of entertainment at a low price: 43.000 euros for new Ford Mustang GT from 421 hp, 41.247 euros per unit Chevrolet Camaro from 431 hp and just over 81.000 euros per piece. Corvette Stingray.

If you have a really strong heart you can take it Corvette Z06 with a positive displacement compressor and a power of 660 hp. for the entry-level 911 Carrera price.

Interestingly, these cars, unlike other Americans, also know how to corner. The Mustang, which has had a rigid rear axle axle for far too many years, now boasts two state-of-the-art independent shock absorbers, which means you still have a chance of getting caught in a tree when cornering.

The Corvette even has a system that reduces power to four of its eight cylinders to use less fuel. Did the Americans really do it?

I hope that at some point our European engineers (and heads of the marketing department) will stop and think about what pillars thrill of driving, it's not just horses and lap times on the Ring.

But the right steering, a solid lever and three pedals, set as God commands.