End of fast manual A3s?

[msdmjb]

Just been looking at the French configurator to keep an eye out when the RS3 reappears................a manual S3 is no longer an option and you have to take the DSG. I wonder if that is a Euro wide policy in which case all VW group cars will follow suit. Out of the box S3 is now coming in at approx £45k once you consider fx rates!

Not particularly surprising given the volumes sold but seems a shame the choice is being removed.

 

[S32B]

Let's not start another S-Tronic vs Manual thread

I wouldn't be surprised if it were to happen, it would be a shame though, everyone has their own views on the subject. For me I tried it on a couple of cars and prefered the manual option, BUT if I were going down a more luxury car/drive such as a Jag, larger Audi etc. then yes I'd go auto.

Out of interest I just looked on AT at S3's from 2015, there is still a need for manuals:

 

[simonali]

So, a manual gearbox was available in 2015? Thanks for letting everyone know.

 

[GSB]

So, a manual gearbox was available in 2015? Thanks for letting everyone know.

You may have missed it, but @S32B makes the convincing point that with a sales ratio of 8:5 auto/man there is still a significant marketplace for them, at least in the UK.

Why Audi France has stopped offering them though is a mystery. Audi-just-about-everywhere-else still lists the 6 speed. It could be that there is some taxation issue with the slightly more polluting manual that makes it unnatractive, or perhaps French drivers aren't quite as keen on manuals anymore. The homegrown competion from Rensultsport has been auto only for quite some time, so perhaps manual has lost its appeal in that marketplace? Or, perhaps VAG France are trying to further distance Golf R (which is still available in manual) from the S3? It might just be a glitch in the website. Who knows.

What is clear though is that VAG do recognise that a great number of drivers who like to drive still like to be able to swap their own cogs, hence you have reemergence of the manual box on the previously PDK only hardcore 911's. The buyers demanded it, VAG listened... Jaguar offer the F-type with a manual box, the first to be so equipped since the "mondeo in court shoes" X-type, which really wasn't a jaguar at all. Even the yanks are getting in on it, the new corvettes for instance are available with a deplorable GM autobox or a seven speed manual.

 

[cuke2u]

http://blog.caranddriver.com/porsche-committed-to-manual-transmissions-for-as-long-as-possible/

 

[infernox]

http://blog.caranddriver.com/porsche-committed-to-manual-transmissions-for-as-long-as-possible/

Funny you mention that, I just finished watching this video
.
I do like some things Porsche have with theirs like the Gear Shift Assist and Rev Matching.

 

[S32B]

So, a manual gearbox was available in 2015? Thanks for letting everyone know.

The point I was making obviously went over your head!

If they were to phase out manual boxes in favour of s-tronic, saying that there wasn't a call for them anymore and you then looked on the likes of AT and saw 1 manual for sale vs 53 s-tronics for sale, you could see why and would have no argument! But out of the 54 cars for sale that came up in my search, 34 were s-tronic and 20 were manual, so not exactly a landslide to say manuals are no longer required!