In this day and age, the average younger driver has probably never encountered a manual car in their life. Some may argue that the only way to teach new drivers is with a stick, so they can better appreciate the idea of controlling a vehicle. For the enthusiast, the manual has always been the prime choice, the difference between riding the car and actually driving it. More often than not, the sheer convenience of an automatic transmission trumps the idea of three pedals and knowing when to shift, and the fact that fewer cars on the market are being sold with manual transmission isn’t helping the argument.
Based on data gathered by Edmunds, CNBC has found out that only 41 of 327 new vehicles offer a manual transmission option in the United States. That accounts for just 12% of all new models. Since the early days of automobiles, the idea of an automated way to shift gears was already conceived in the 1930s and 1940s, offering those who could afford…
