Not so long ago in mechanical box, or manual transmission, was the best transmission of the French. The manual gearbox was chosen for its economical aspect, about a thousand euros cheaper than the automatic gearbox option, its exceptional reliability and sporty driving pleasure.

Manual transmissions also allow for lower fuel consumption, but the French also choose them out of habit, as learner drivers always practice driving with a manual transmission. But times have changed: over the years we have seen a trend reversal.

Until recently, the idea of ​​learning to drive without taking care of the left leg did not occur to many people… https://t.co/EqGga3s7dZ

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Manual gearbox: loses speed

Indeed, modern automatic transmissions have come a long way: they are now much more reliable than the models of yesteryear, and are also more flexible to use and more economical. With the advent of new technologies (torque converter, dual clutch, robotic gearbox, etc.) we see a real revolution in the world of automatic transmissions.

There the disappearance of the manual gearbox, and therefore the left pedal accelerates strongly in new cars bought by individuals. After falling 25% in 2021, the share of manual transmissions on new cars will fall another 19% in 2022!

Manual gearbox: only 4 out of 10 French people chose it

One today four out of ten buyers (or 38.6%) still choose a manual transmission for their new car, compared to five in ten buyers a year ago. This tendency tocessation of production of manual gearboxes is accelerating every day, and the rise in the number of electric cars, most of which no longer have a gearbox, is not entirely related to this.

And again, if the Dacia Sandero, one of the favorite models of the French, did not already have a standard manual transmission, these numbers would fall even faster!