Talking point: Is the manual gearbox living on borrowed time?
Jaguar has given us hope with its manual F-type, but how much longer will the manual survive?
Jaguar's F-type is attention-grabbing at the best of times, but news of the 2015 model featuring a manual gearbox - the first in a Jaguar sports car since the E-type - almost broke the internet following its LA auto show launch.
While Jaguar believes it isn't taking a big risk with the manual transmission, and around a fifth of UK sales could be the manual model, it's still flying in the face of an industry that's increasingly heading towards automatic transmissions. Indeed, Jaguar itself offers a largely automatic lineup.
Does Jaguar's new offering suggest a new lease of life for the traditional 'stick shift', or is it a final concession to customers who love three pedals before manuals disappear entirely?
Post your thoughts below, or email letters@evo.co.uk. The best comments will be published in the next issue of evo.
