Why the Stick Shift Is Going Extinct

My first two cars were both stick shifts and I'm glad I learned. And it was fun driving in those days with little traffic and some back roads to play on (shifting and drifting corners). I now have an auto transmission with paddle shifters so I can play when I want or sit back and drive like an old man (that I am). Driving a stick shift in heavy, stop 'n go traffic is not my cup of tea...

I personally prefer a standard transmission, that's what I first drove 54 years ago shipmate, my son was self taught to drive one also,sad that younger generations don't know much about these shipmate PO3 Rodney Walent

"Our automatic transmissions – specifically our 8HP planetary and also our dual-clutch transmissions – have become so efficient and shift so quickly that they've replaced even our own manual transmissions and even in sports car applications. Performance-wise, automatic transmissions are superior to their manual counterparts now," explains Tony Sapienza, head of communications (North America) for global transmission supplier ZF. "While enthusiasts in the U.S. sometimes say they prefer the 'engagement' of manual transmissions, the sales we see suggest that this is a very small and shrinking group."