Quote:
Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0
For years the automatic was the more expensive option. These days the manual transmission is still the cheaper option if it is offered, but we are seeing the trends change. Sometimes the manual transmission is offered at the same price of the automatic, and sometimes the manual transmission is only offered on the lowest spec, assuming that it was the penny pinchers who picked the manual transmission, so they also wouldn't want any fancy options.
Times have changed. The manual transmission might not be feasible for many vehicles like crossovers, SUVs, large sedans or even econoboxes, but there is still enough demand for a manual transmission in the sports car world where I could see them offering the manual as a premium option. Meaning, it is the enthusiasts who want the manual, so the enthusiasts will likely pay more to have three pedals if the manual option was offered with a surcharge. Maybe the costs are still prohibitive to make it possible.
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The difference is those automatics could be bolted up to multiple cars and engines. GM is asking for a one-off with the Corvette and no one wants to build tooling just for that. As I said, companies like Porsche get around it by having all their cars with manuals across two platforms that use the same transaxle while the 7-MT shares tonnes of parts with the PDK. GM has nothing else midengined in its line-up.