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2014 Legacy GT in Japan


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In the US manual transmissions are on the outs. Outside the US it's quite the opposite. As for bringing the LGT back to the USDM, I would highly doubt it and if SoA did end up pursuing that direction at the Indiana plant, I can only surmise it would be an EAT or CVT mated to an EZ36R. I wouldn't count on seeing a boosted Legacy anytime in the near future. Remember, Subaru is going for VOLUME sales and more of a vehicle line-up for the masses, not enthusiasts.
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Well even in the US market. For example Chevy sells 8 car models 5 of which are offered in manual and you can get the Colorado pickup in a manual as well. Buick sells 3 car models 2 of which are offered in manual. Cadillac sells 3 car models 2 of which are offered in manual. Ford sells 6 car models and 4 are offered in manual. And of course that does not even include BMW, Audi, and Mercedes that offer more models with manuals.

 

Buick and Cadillac have been struggling with serious brand identity issues for years. I doubt your average septuagenarian Buick driver has been begging GM for a stick shift, but rather GM is trying to appeal to a younger demographic.

 

As for the Germans - even their manual offering is shrinking. You can't even get an A3 Quattro with a stick shift, 2WD only.

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Buick and Cadillac have been struggling with serious brand identity issues for years. I doubt your average septuagenarian Buick driver has been begging GM for a stick shift, but rather GM is trying to appeal to a younger demographic.

 

As for the Germans - even their manual offering is shrinking. You can't even get an A3 Quattro with a stick shift, 2WD only.

 

Yeah thats the whole point of them offering manuals, they are trying to lower their average age. a few years ago the average buick owner was 72, now that is about to drop bellow 60. The Turbo Verano and Regal GS are fun cars to drive because of the power and manual, but they also have luxury features that other sporty fun manual cars do not offer.

 

I have never understood why Audi doe not offer more manuals in the quattro, its never made sense to me

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Along with public perceptions/desires there's also the technical side to auto-boxes. Cars are using techniques such as torque steering and advanced traction control which are controlled by the TCM.

 

I figure that by the time my kids take their driving test, GoKart style braking (left foot) will be the norm.

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I figure that by the time my kids take their driving test, GoKart style braking (left foot) will be the norm.

 

Was thinking about this the other day. I think in 15 years when my son takes his driving test it will consist of being able to enter an address into the onboard computer and hitting GO. The car will drive him there without any intervention.

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Was thinking about this the other day. I think in 15 years when my son takes his driving test it will consist of being able to enter an address into the onboard computer and hitting GO. The car will drive him there without any intervention.

 

That would be sooooo boring IMO.

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Now I have heard that auto manufacturers are offering more manual transmissions than ever before. Even companies you would not think would offer a manual transmission do like Buick and Cadillac.

 

What?! More than ever before? I wish. There are less and less manuals available every year. All the performance cars are starting to be offered only with dual-clutch autos. Yay.

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A possible theory that I just thought of just now is:

 

1. Automatic transmissions have gotten much more efficient providing better mpg than their manual counterparts

2. Govt MPG requirements keep going up.

 

So it would could make sense for an automaker to start phasing out manuals on their volume sellers in order to help raise their fleet's average mpg.

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A possible theory that I just thought of just now is:

 

1. Automatic transmissions have gotten much more efficient providing better mpg than their manual counterparts

 

How is that possible? The original intent of the CVT in the '97 Civic HX was to achieve gas mileage as good as a manual. An auto could never be better than a manual in regards to mileage. A CVT... Possibly.

 

Look at Europe. Most cars still are manual. A lot of the European cars we get here that are auto-only are available in Europe with a manual. Americans still like big cars and SUVs with an auto and pretty soon there won't be any manuals left for the American market.

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How is that possible? The original intent of the CVT in the '97 Civic HX was to achieve gas mileage as good as a manual. An auto could never be better than a manual in regards to mileage. A CVT... Possibly.

 

Look at Europe. Most cars still are manual. A lot of the European cars we get here that are auto-only are available in Europe with a manual. Americans still like big cars and SUVs with an auto and pretty soon there won't be any manuals left for the American market.

 

This. And uber suck about the decline of MT's :(

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How is that possible? The original intent of the CVT in the '97 Civic HX was to achieve gas mileage as good as a manual. An auto could never be better than a manual in regards to mileage. A CVT... Possibly.

 

Look at Europe. Most cars still are manual. A lot of the European cars we get here that are auto-only are available in Europe with a manual. Americans still like big cars and SUVs with an auto and pretty soon there won't be any manuals left for the American market.

 

One needs to not look further than Subaru's own line up.

 

2013 Subaru BR-Z

Manual (6 spd): 22 City / 30 Hwy

Automatic (6 spd): 25 City / 34 Hwy

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I wish this was true.

I heard that the Mitsubishi EVO X is the last EVO. Mitsubishi is going hybrid performance on the next EVO version supposedly.

 

Yeah... the next iteration of EVO, if it happens, is going to be an electric or hybrid drive.

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FWIW, I wish subaru would come out with an 7 or 8 dual clutch for its enthusiast cars and replace the torque convertor automatics with CVT.

 

Personally, I think the likely hood of Subaru releasing a BL/BP replacement is nil, now that they have orphaned off WRX/STI from the mainstream platforms. I think from now on if you want a sporty Subaru it WRX or STI. Otherwise, the rest of the lineup with be mainstream American appeal type cars.

 

It's to bad, for a while there Subaru was close to enthusiasts dream lineup (turbo every model config, manuals on every model, LSDs etc).

 

The downfall of Subaru began with the Tribeca:lol:

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FWIW, I wish subaru would come out with an 7 or 8 dual clutch for its enthusiast cars and replace the torque convertor automatics with CVT.

<snip>

 

They have that with the new Legacy GT DIT: full CVT, 6-speed paddle-shifted "manual", and, in Sport#, an 8-speed paddle-shifted "manual".

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Personally, I think the likely hood of Subaru releasing a BL/BP replacement is nil, now that they have orphaned off WRX/STI from the mainstream platforms. I think from now on if you want a sporty Subaru it WRX or STI. Otherwise, the rest of the lineup with be mainstream American appeal type cars.

We they say Subaru is working on making a BRZ turbo or STI version which will be sporty other than the WRX or STI. But I agree that after the new models most seem like a mainstream Japanese car. Toyota Nissan or Honda.

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In the US manual transmissions are on the outs. Outside the US it's quite the opposite. As for bringing the LGT back to the USDM, I would highly doubt it and if SoA did end up pursuing that direction at the Indiana plant, I can only surmise it would be an EAT or CVT mated to an EZ36R. I wouldn't count on seeing a boosted Legacy anytime in the near future. Remember, Subaru is going for VOLUME sales and more of a vehicle line-up for the masses, not enthusiasts.

 

Just because it has a turbo doesn't mean it can't or won't be used to "increase" fuel economy. It's more likely a "boosted Legacy" would show up as a diesel or petrol with a CVT than a petrol and a manual. But seeing as how they brought over a turbo with a CVT in the Forester for MY 2014, the original Legacy GT in question at the start of this thread also seems likely too (CVT version of course :rolleyes:).

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Petrol? Where are you from?

 

This haha!

 

If they do bring a boosted Fozzy with CVT to the states for 2014, there aren't any hood scoops on the pics I've seen...

 

I dunno, guess for me it robs the fun factor out of having a boosted AWD car when you mate a CVT up. Guess it's the going trend with the flippy flappies and sans the third pedal :(

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I do remember Autoblog specifically mentioning that they got rid of the hood scoops for the next gen Forester XT

 

Interesting... no intercoolz or just fancy smancy air duct routing that isn't as functional? LOL

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