Thursday Twister: Unlikely Manual
Welcome to another edition of DT’s Thursday Twister, the game that has more twists and turns than a Thomas English muffin. On a previous Twister we covered cars that were only available in manual gearbox, but PhiLOL suggested that we cover cars you thought were automatic only, but did have a rare manual version.
My entry into the world of unlikely manual vehicles is the 2000-2002 Lincoln LS that was available with the Jaguar AJ V6 mated to a Getrag 221 5-speed manual gearbox (one was featured on DT in Sept of 2013).
Standard contest rules are as follows:
1. Only one car per comment (be sure to hit the refresh button on your
browser before you post, in case someone else has posted since you loaded
the page). Do not nest the replies, just reply to the main post — if
you reply to someone else’s comment it should be in reference to his
comment and not another submission.
2. The contest never ends.
3. One submission per make/model.
4. Each car must be a production model.
5. No anonymous submissions — pick a name with the Name/URL dropdown.
Ready….Set…shift!
Late '80s Dodge Caravans.
Late '80's Ford Aerostars as well, even in extended length.
Taurus MT5 wagon…
[img] i.imgur.com/gmgnVgo.jpg[/img]
My parents had one of these when I was in elementary school in the late '80s, in black with the stick. It replaced our stick-shift Dodge Colt Vista 4WD. My dad still has very fond memories of both cars.
Damn, you beat me to it. A real unicorn.
One of the most interesting ones to me is that you can still by a 2016 Ram 2500 diesel truck and get it with a 6-speed manual as a no-cost option. Not sure if any of the other full size trucks still offer a stick.
A manual trans is still standard on several trim levels of the 2016 Honda Accord sedan w/ 4-cylinder engine, and on a few versions of the Accord coupe with both 4-cyl and V6 engines.
Yay for Honda! You'd expect them to still offer manuals on the Civic, Fit, and smaller vehicles but the fact that a midsize+ car can still be configured with a stick is a nice surprise.
6-cylinder E53 X5s up through 2005 or so.
I have one and it is annoying. Well, the part where my wife complains about it is annoying.
Just did a UUC short shifter, ZHP knob, and CDV delete and it is pretty fun to bang gears in.
Kinda like an E46 ZHP with four three-hundred-pound relatives in the car and six sacks of rice in the trunk?
Ha, on a good day.
E46 zip in imola red…still my favorite bimmer ever. Wish I never sold it.
Not sure how, but I stumbled on this one a couple weeks back… a 2011 Camry with a six speed. I suppose if someone was forcing you to drive one, this would make the pill a little less bitter….
[url] ebay.com/itm/2011-Toyota-Camry-/151947762208[/url]
Ugh, I've forgotten linking syntax…
2011 Camry Six-Speed
Gee, I thought all cars came with a manual…
[img] agateroad.com/Supra/Photos_1/OwnersManual_Small.jpg[/img]
I see what you did there…
1970s and 1980s Ford vans (with the snout hood) had floor mounted 4 speeds
classiccarsdb.com/uploads/postfotos/1980-ford-econoline-e150-4×4-van-very-rare-6-cylinder-4-speed-manual-1.JPG
There are also the Audi V8 Quattro and Mercedes 190E 2.6 Sportline…
Lexus sc300
Toyota Previa:
[img] cars-directory.net/pics/toyota/previa/2003/toyota_previa_a1249767199b2941509_3.jpg[/img]
I could swear we've done this twister before, but here goes:
Jeep Grand Cherokee….offered with a stick in 1992 MY only.
[img] playswithcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/jeep3.jpg[/img]
Man, I've been looking for a rust free non-abused '93 (92 build date for MY 93) ZJ SE with a 5 spd forever. I came close once in eastern Oklahoma about 4 years ago, but alas someone else scooped it up before I could throw money at the guy.
Talk about hen's teeth…
Porsche Cayenne….only available in previous-gen GTS version and base V6 models.
[img] globalautosports.com/car-images/Porsche/Cayenne-GTS/65614/8.JPG[/img]
3rd gen Ford Explorer
[img] i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu83/got2bneo/DSCN2865.jpg[/img]
Well, I will offer one from decades back: Ford Fairmont 200 cu-in 6 cylinder.
At one time, I was big into those cars (especially wagons), and one night I found a clean wagon on a used car lot. The sales guy was really eager when he saw me looking at it. Really willing to deal too, immediately dropping 20% off the price on the windshield. When I looked inside, I figured out why: it was a four-speed manual. That is the only one I ever saw, across probably 10 years of 6-cyl Fairmont chasing. Of course I bought it, but not until they got down to 50% of the original asking price! I have to admit that the shifter was horrible, more like a truck than any car I had ever driven.
Oooh, I like this game. The 1978 Olds Cutlass could be had with a 5 speed. I think it was a Saginaw. This era of Olds just seemed way too boxy and luxurious to have a stick.
[img] media.photobucket.com/user/Reason1/media/1978%20Cutlass%20Calais%205-speed/78CutlassInt.jpg.html[/img]
The T-50 5-speed, also used in the Monza and the last year of Cosworth Vega.
It was weak, and had the dogleg 1-2 shift (reverse ahead of first, 2-3-4-5 are the conventional H) which didn't make it many friends.
Gee just like old Porsches
I remember seeing a 1978 Mercury Monarch with a 4-speed. The shifter seemed like it had no business there.
Yeah, it was an ultra-wide-ratio version of the old Toploader IIRC. They were a complete slug, but it was a manual transmission…
1976 Dodge Aspen wagon with a slant six. And of course the fake wood grain.
2012 Acura SH-AWD, if you optioned it with the tech pack it came with a 6spd manual! Just may be my next car….