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Volkswagen Fighting Hard To Keep Manual Transmission Alive

Mar. 30, 2019 10:30 AM ET by Jared Rosenholtz / Comments VW enthusiasts will be pleased. As more and more automakers wave goodbye to manual transmissions in the United States, it is becoming harder for manual enthusiasts to shop for new cars. Audi no longer offers a manual transmission in the US but its parent company Volkswagen is "fighting hard to keep a manual in its lineup," according to Serban Boldea, Director of Product Marketing for VW. We had a chance to speak with Boldea at the launch event for the seventh generation Jetta GLI, where we were able to discuss the future of manual transmissions for VW in the US. Based on our conversation, the future looks bright. Volkswagen Volkswagen Volkswagen Volkswagen For starters, a manual transmission is "absolutely" planned for the next generation Golf GTI and beyond, so you won't have to worry about it becoming auto-only like some other cars. Right now, the take rate for the manual in the GTI is "around 50-50," says Boldea but he expects the manual take rate for the GLI to be "around 30%," because "many customers are just looking for the nicest Jetta" and are not necessarily enthusiast drivers. We can easily see someone walking into a VW dealership not knowing what they want and walking out with a GLI because it happens to be the most expensive and well-optioned Jetta available. The Golf GTI, on the other hand, is a car bought by shoppers who specifically want a hatchback with a manual transmission. Volkswagen Volkswagen Volkswagen After driving both versions of the Jetta GLI, we can honestly say we'd be happy with either the six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG. The manual feels quite good, though if you plan to tune the car or like to drive aggressively on back roads, we highly suggest opting for the DSG. VW has made both transmissions available on all trim levels, which is an extremely rare move in this day and age. Pricing for the 2019 Jetta GLI starts at $25,995 for the base S trim and goes up to $26,795 if you get the DSG. The decision is yours but it seems like there's no wrong answer here no matter which transmission you choose. Volkswagen

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Volkswagen Jetta GLI Volkswagen Golf GTI Jared Rosenholtz Editor-at-Large After graduating with an MBA, Jared pursued his love of cars by becoming an automotive journalist. An internship with CarBuzz grew into his current position as Editor At Large. Jared now spends most of his time evaluating new vehicles and chasing the latest news stories in the automotive industry. When he’s not attending Cars & Coffee events on the weekend, Jared loves to watch NFL football and cruise around with the top down in his German convertible. Contact Jared @Carsnbites @jar_rosenholtz LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top