End of manual German hot hatches?
Discussion
pb8g09 said:
You're probably right, though I just came back from a weekend driving on the country lanes of North Wales in a S1, and I did think at the time that had I have done it in an auto it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun.
That satisfaction of manually dropping the gears to overtake on a single lane A-road surely can't be matched in an auto?!
I don't know. Quick pull of the left paddle and off you go. This is my first DSG and don't think i'd buy a manual car again.That satisfaction of manually dropping the gears to overtake on a single lane A-road surely can't be matched in an auto?!
Daggerpie said:
Dr G said:
. S1s out of production earlier this year and manuals S3s discontinued a while before that.
Is that right, having seem the recent pics for the new A1 I was hoping they would bring out an S1 variant some time down the line, even if it was 5dr and DSG.The recently departed S1 was a 'manual only' model, the new S1 will be an 'auto only' model.
Gio G said:
I have to admit when I drove the Golf R in manual, I was pretty underwhelmed, felt vague at best.. hence I went for a DSG, just suited the car better.
G
Same here G
furthermore the DSG is also quicker 0-60 (4.6 sec in the MK7.5) more fuel efficient with lower CO2 than the Manual ... and as said above suits the Turbo charged nature of the R's engine ... in Sport / Race mode it's always On boost 
neil-1323bolts said:
Yes sad times indeed , you should be given a choice of gearbox for the old fossils like myself who still enjoys a manual box , it's got to be part of the enjoyment of driving , especially in a hot hatch .
Completely agree and unfortunately BMW dropping the manual box on the M140i has somewhat compromised my plans! I realise emissions are part of the story but I do wonder whether good old supply and demand is at work as well. For example, if you look on the BMW Approved Used Car website there are currently 263 M140i's available of which only 14 (5%) are manuals; in that context it's perhaps not surprising BMW have recently made it - along with a number of other sporting petrol models - auto only. The sad reality is those of us who appreciate and desire a decent manual box are now very much a dying breed........
Brand new Golf GTI here with DSG box. The gearbox is really very good, smooth, fast changes and excellent for a daily driver.
However I also can't help but feel that it kills the last 9 or 10 10ths of driving enjoyment on the road.
Driving a bendy country road has the box randomly slewing up and down ratios and rpms. Driving it manually with paddles is an exercise in frustration as you aren't familiar with what gear is required for each road speed, and the box is still on occasion randomly slewing up and down gears. The loss of (full) control over a manual is palpable.
RIP the manual gearbox.
However I also can't help but feel that it kills the last 9 or 10 10ths of driving enjoyment on the road.
Driving a bendy country road has the box randomly slewing up and down ratios and rpms. Driving it manually with paddles is an exercise in frustration as you aren't familiar with what gear is required for each road speed, and the box is still on occasion randomly slewing up and down gears. The loss of (full) control over a manual is palpable.
RIP the manual gearbox.
Olivera said:
Brand new Golf GTI here with DSG box. The gearbox is really very good, smooth, fast changes and excellent for a daily driver.
However I also can't help but feel that it kills the last 9 or 10 10ths of driving enjoyment on the road.
Driving a bendy country road has the box randomly slewing up and down ratios and rpms. Driving it manually with paddles is an exercise in frustration as you aren't familiar with what gear is required for each road speed, and the box is still on occasion randomly slewing up and down gears. The loss of (full) control over a manual is palpable.
RIP the manual gearbox.
+1 This.However I also can't help but feel that it kills the last 9 or 10 10ths of driving enjoyment on the road.
Driving a bendy country road has the box randomly slewing up and down ratios and rpms. Driving it manually with paddles is an exercise in frustration as you aren't familiar with what gear is required for each road speed, and the box is still on occasion randomly slewing up and down gears. The loss of (full) control over a manual is palpable.
RIP the manual gearbox.
I enjoy my missus' DSG for conventional driving about to the shops/commute/traffic etc., but can't help finding it really struggles on the country lanes at the weekend and my manual dominates these because of the slushy nature that it doesn't quite understand what you're trying to achieve on each corner.
I think the manual box in the R is no loss, the clutch is made of paper, it cant handle the torque (R with manual had less torque than DSG R) and the DSG is simply a superb box, manual if you wish, auto if you wish, you choose. Ultra smooth and fast gear changes, at last auto/semi auto gearboxes have come of age. I for one wont go back to manual again.
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