What Ford's boss says about the future of manual transmission cars and their unexpected ally: the pope
Ford CEO Jim Farley says three-pedal, manual-transmission cars still have a “sacred” place in the Detroit automaker's lineup, Business Insider reports.
“We offer a manual transmission because some people really love to drive these cars. They like to be connected to the car,” Farley said in a statement Ford sent to BI reporters.
The financial site notes that these comments from the Ford boss highlight a wider divide in the auto industry: As performance cars become faster and more technologically advanced, some automakers are ditching manual transmissions altogether, while others are keeping them for a narrowing but passionate audience.
Ford's big rival has a different opinion
General Motors, Ford's big rival from Detroit, is firmly in the category of manufacturers that believe the future is without a manual transmission. GM stopped offering a manual transmission Corvette when it introduced the current mid-engine model in 2020.
Citing years of declining demand, company executives have shown little interest in bringing back the clutch. “We have no plans to discuss a manual transmission,” Tony Roma, GM's chief performance car engineer, said in an interview on “12 Hours of Sebring” just the other day.
“The car is faster and essentially better with the transmission we're producing,” he pointed out.
Ford, on the other hand, continued to offer manual options for enthusiast cars such as the Ford Mustang GT, Ford Mustang Dark Horse and the Ford Bronco off-road SUV.
“As long as customers care that much, we'll keep building them,” Farley said in comments made to BI.
Ford boss says Papa Leon is a fan of the manual gearbox
He said a recent trip to the Vatican strengthened his conviction in favor of driver-controlled transmission.
“When I met with Papa Leon, he shared an interesting story about how earlier in his life he owned a manual transmission Fusion,” Farley said. “That's saying something; it's not about nostalgia. It's about engagement. They're fun,” he added.
Industry-wide, the number of manual options is declining. Only 24 U.S. models from the 2026 model year offer manual transmissions, according to a recent tally by Dub Magazine, and that list is still changing.
Toyota and BMW are dropping the Toyota Supra and BMW Z4 sports cars this month, including manual transmission versions.
PHOTO article: Yuriy Galov / Dreamstime.com.
