Fans Petition Ford To Increase Availability Of Manual Transmission On New Bronco

The Internet may love the manual gearbox, but the take rate when it comes to actually purchasing a car is gradually decreasing and in many cars, it’s usually a single-digit figure. It’s the main reason why the three-pedal setup is slowly but surely dying, although some automakers are trying to save the manual by continuing to put a stick shift into their cars.

When Ford brought back the Bronco, enthusiasts were happy to see a seven-speed manual transmission with crawler gear. However, a closer look at the specs sheet shows you can only have it with the smaller 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine and you can’t get the clutch pedal with the Sasquatch Package. While Ford spokesman Mike Levine said the company is “open to feedback for those that feel otherwise” regarding the auto-only Sasquatch, for the time being, the manual has limited availability.

MDarringer - 8/7/2020 11:15:26 AM

-1 Boost

Offering every conceivable permutation at launch is a recipe for disaster especially when it comes to offering manual transmissions because manual transmission vehicles are lot anchors.

PUGPROUD - 8/7/2020 4:32:52 PM

0 Boost

They could always be built to order to avoid your issue, right?

MDarringer - 8/7/2020 9:12:42 PM

0 Boost

It's not that simple. Sure, in an ideal world, just order it. But, if you do the manual with two engines, you have to develop and certify those powertrains and that costs money for a tiny payoff for a couple dozen people.

carloslassiter - 8/9/2020 6:15:30 PM

+1 Boost

The people whining about a manual need to get in line behind those of us who are whining about the soft top on the 2 door.