[Tonto]

I like the classic style of the original models.

YES YES YES YES YES! ,My fav model, AND colour! -Love them all though but 58/59s are hard to come by.

[Just1MoreDave]

As you say...juggling you morning Tim's...while attempting to downshift your 6 speed ZF....while in a corner...with heavy snow cover might present problems.

I had to unlearn some bad habits when I moved to Colorado from non-snow places. I can tell you from experience, downshifting in a corner in the snow is not a good idea, even without coffee.

[johnmflores]

Beautiful car. I note the manual shift. How many Americans will buy that?

I've heard more than one story where the manual transmission has functioned as an anti-theft device because the would-be thief did not know how to drive stick LOL!

And contrary to conventional belief, manual transmissions are no longer the fastest from point A to point B. Semi-automatics like the dual clutch setups of VW, Audi and others can swap cogs much quicker than even the most skilled drivers and with computer control of the throttle to minimize any loss of forward thrust. It's been a number of years since F1 cars had clutch pedals.

That said, I still enjoy the experience of rowing my own, and I hope to own a C7 before I become one of those old men with too many gold chains trying to be young again in a 'Vette.

[monochrome]

And following on to John, slushboxes today do such a good job of smoothing the torque curve that it really is hard to justify a foot clutch other than Rally racing. If you really want to be a (modern) man, learn "Brake / Gas."

It sure isn't as much fun though, is it?

[Ratmagiclady]

I've heard more than one story where the manual transmission has functioned as an anti-theft device because the would-be thief did not know how to drive stick LOL!

And contrary to conventional belief, manual transmissions are no longer the fastest from point A to point B. Semi-automatics like the dual clutch setups of VW, Audi and others can swap cogs much quicker than even the most skilled drivers and with computer control of the throttle to minimize any loss of forward thrust. It's been a number of years since F1 cars had clutch pedals.

That said, I still enjoy the experience of rowing my own, and I hope to own a C7 before I become one of those old men with too many gold chains trying to be young again in a 'Vette.

Does seem like that's why the new Vettes offer a paddle-shift rather than an 'automatic' per se? (I don't know if you can just put that in 'drive' and go anyway. ) I really think I'd have trouble wanting a sports car without the standard tranny, though. Maybe people actually that competitive about going that bit faster would go for the automation.

If you think a standard trans is good for anti-theft, try a manual *choke.* No one could start one of my old cars in the colder half of the year unless they both knew it was there (I'd installed it out of sight) and what to do with it.

[krebsy75]

I recently bought a VW with the twin-clutch DSG. I'm nearly 40 and it's the first automatic I've ever owned.

It's a helluva transmission.

[Medium FormatPro]

I had to unlearn some bad habits when I moved to Colorado from non-snow places. I can tell you from experience, downshifting in a corner in the snow is not a good idea, even without coffee

Also havng a place in Vail here (Antlers@Vail - about 100 meters from the bottom of the lift. It would depend upon the vehicle. Most Mercedes and also even a 30k Subaru could handle it quite well and effectively

[Just1MoreDave]

Also havng a place in Vail here (Antlers@Vail - about 100 meters from the bottom of the lift. It would depend upon the vehicle. Most Mercedes and also even a 30k Subaru could handle it quite well and effectively

2002 Nissan Frontier in 2WD, not that well! A drift car except the other kind of drift.

It does have 4WD, but part-time, no center differential. In snow, that means interesting massive understeer, as the driveshafts force the axles to turn at the same rate in the turn. My next 4WD is going to have that differential.

[bullitt_60]

I've heard more than one story where the manual transmission has functioned as an anti-theft device because the would-be thief did not know how to drive stick LOL!

And contrary to conventional belief, manual transmissions are no longer the fastest from point A to point B. Semi-automatics like the dual clutch setups of VW, Audi and others can swap cogs much quicker than even the most skilled drivers and with computer control of the throttle to minimize any loss of forward thrust. It's been a number of years since F1 cars had clutch pedals.

That said, I still enjoy the experience of rowing my own, and I hope to own a C7 before I become one of those old men with too many gold chains trying to be young again in a 'Vette.

To show that I am a total dweeb, I would like to point out that F1 cars actually have a hand clutch to move from a stop. I want a vette too and also worry about not being able to afford one until I'm older. However, my dad finally got his in 2003 (torch red, vert, 6spd). He still loves and drives it on the weekends... I think he drives it so he can clean it every time. Anyway, I once asked him what he thought about being older and driving a sports car and his response was "the great thing about getting older is that you don't give a **** what anyone else thinks"

[RichardS]

To show that I am a total dweeb, I would like to point out that F1 cars actually have a hand clutch to move from a stop. I want a vette too and also worry about not being able to afford one until I'm older. However, my dad finally got his in 2003 (torch red, vert, 6spd). He still loves and drives it on the weekends... I think he drives it so he can clean it every time. Anyway, I once asked him what he thought about being older and driving a sports car and his response was "the great thing about getting older is that you don't give a **** what anyone else thinks"

Words of wisdom from your Dad. I few years a go I went for a drive with a friend in his 1938 SS100 Jaguar. Like this:



While we were stopped at a set of lights, two teenage girls stopped to admire the car. He nudged me with his elbow and just said "Chick magnet". Great stuff.

The DSG-type gearboxes are not actually "automatics" in the traditional sense. They are twin manual gearboxes with a computer-controlled automatic change mechanism. Not the same thing as an automatic with manual controls.

Richard.

[Fl_Gulfer]

Our Lincoln Hybrid has a auto tranny that you can't even feel it shift unless you floor it to pass someone then you feel a slight shift. Otherwise its a very smooth drivetrain.