Audi's U.S. Lineup Will Be Free of Manual Gearboxes In 2019
The manual transmission continues to die a slow, lingering death. Audi is now eliminating the manual option from its entire U.S. lineup, not that the majority if its customers will actually miss it. While the 2018 Audi A4 can still be had with a six-speed manual, the refreshed 2019 model will not. The same will be true for the less-popular A5 coupe.
It’s a bum deal for enthusiasts but it’s difficult to come down too hard on Audi. The A4’s seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic isn’t exactly a terrible transmission and, considering it outsells the manual by a huge margin, it doesn’t make financial sense for Audi to ship anything else across the ocean.
Applying that logic hasn’t make us feel better about the situation, though.
According to Car and Driver, only about 5 percent of A4 customers in the United States picked the six-speed manual over the DTC. That’s actually more than expected, if we’re truly being honest with ourselves. However, the outlet did note the A4 was one of the few present-day vehicles where rowing your own gears could be faster if you’re exceptionally handy (er, footy?) with a clutch. It recorded the manual model’s zero-to-60 time at 5.1 seconds, a tenth of a second quicker than the dual-clutch A4.
If you’re quick enough, you can definitely still score a leftover 2018 A4 with a manual. Thankfully, Audi saw fit to deploy it on every trim level with Quattro all-wheel drive so you won’t have to settle for a front-drive base-trimmed turd. The A4’s 2019 refresh is also so incredibly subtle that nobody but you and a handful of Audi aficionados will have any awareness of your purchasing last year’s model.
[Image: Audi]
Consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulations. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, he has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed about the automotive sector by national broadcasts, participated in a few amateur rallying events, and driven more rental cars than anyone ever should. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and learned to drive by twelve. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer and motorcycles.
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"...it doesn’t make financial sense for Audi to ship anything else across the ocean." I fail to see how the type of transmission makes the slightest difference in the cost of shipping a car across the ocean. Now if a manual transmission car just plain sits on the lot unsold and must be heavily discounted (thereby removing profit)to get rid of it, OK. But assuming Audi makes manuals at all, why cannot I go to a dealer and order one from the factory, not caring how ling it takes to get here?
It's not easy to justify getting a manual, you can't really enjoy it if you stand in traffic every day, it makes sense if you get an MX-5 as a second car and live in some rural area. The last time I drove a manual was a rental car in Iceland, that was perfect fit for the type of driving you do there. It was very surprising to hear Toyota's new Corolla Hatchback comes with a manual! they probably know something I don't.
One less manufacturer to consider in the future...and I rather liked Audi. But the American public has largely spoken (and continues to do so). While the enthusiast laments the dwindling number of choices, the larger (paying) majority has voted with their dollars and has chosen automatics. Cherish the sticks you have, folks!
Great, this makes it super easy to pick who NOT to buy my next car from.