Quote:
Originally Posted by shaffe
Well the reason they probably went public with the declining take rate is most people wouldn't question it, as take rates for manual is dropping industry wide. Basically it was the easiest thing to say at the time probably.
I also think had they said it the way you said, people would be able to/ try to spin that in a negative way. IE Oh GM couldn't get this done on a budget, what else did they skimp on or cheat on etc etc. Look at the firestorm in the GT500 thread where it was simply a quote by a magazine editor that it costs more to develop a 200MPH car than a 180 MPH car....
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Car enthusiasts aren't the blind public...most of us enjoy researching engine spec, ratings, handling metrics, and spend a large portion of our lives filling our brains with this info.
I can understand Ford saying it costs more, because it's true. The firestorm ensues by charging the most amount of money ever for a Mustang, and then making a statement like that. This also indirectly applies to the C8 - that said, the base, no option C8, is still a killer price and very well accomplished by GM.
The buyers of cars in the C8, GT500, and up range are a lot more invested and educated in the product they are buying than say a base Camaro or Mustang.
The reason for the downfall of manuals has as much to do with dealers only ordering autos for the showroom vs having to spec a manual yourself within a personal order. Like Jim said, it's a multi-faceted issue. I have further theory that requires the removal of manuals so everyone adopts and accepts "auto" transmissions as the market is forced to move from ICE to EV (a whole other topic which Jim, yourself, and I have posted before).