Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeb114
Stick shifts represented 6.8 percent of U.S. vehicle sales in 2012, according to IHS Markit. But that figure tumbled to a 3.5 percent in 2018, IHS projected in September that the percentage of cars sold with a manual transmission would fall to 2.6 percent in 2023. But Fiske said Sales of manual transmissions have been falling for decades – but their drop-off has accelerated in recent years.  |
Which was entirely predictable. Fewer among the youngest crop of car buyers have had exposure to MT driving than was the case in the generation before them. Those 40-something/50-something parents had less exposure than those who came into driving during the 1960's, when nearly all of
their parents could at least drive a MT car (most still did).
There are other reasons, of course. Lingering effects of 1970's near-total abandonment of performance, the rise in popularity of pickup trucks, minivans and SUVs, today's over-fascination with phones and never not being connected . . .
Norm