As far as owning a Vert, we have two. I think for us it's more a state of mind. you may not get to use as much as you like, but those days you can drop the top are the best blood pressure made by man.

Now, for the auto. I know this is a foreign idea for the younger members, but I have done my share of "rowing through the gears" in my life time. It was a wonderful experience in the right car. But, as I have gotten older I don't feel the urge to do that anymore. There's something to be said for just pushing the skinny pedal, and hauling as$ on down the road. But, I do agree with the sentiment. There should always be a place for a manual tranny.

 

It is not looking good! I was talking to my instructors at the college (I am in automotive) and they are thinking of dropping manual transmission from the core curriculum.

 

I can live with having the top up when it's raining or when my wife is with me and it's too cold for her. I love driving with the top down, so my attitude is if it's dry out the top is down. It was 18 degrees under clear blue skies the day this pic was taken.

 

 

Awesome.

 

Its very sad that a sports car is hard to find in stick. I think it speaks to how lazy people have gotten. I could never bring myself to own a auto mustang. If that what you are into good for you but I am not. I think stick also makes a vert less girly.




it helped me drive though snow, ice and mud!




it also looks better then some big bulky auto shifter. It also saves money that can be spent on other better options. Also keep in mind I used mine as a daily driver all year long.

2000

1999

2009

2007

2011 fiesta

2008

2005

2012

2nd 2011

2013 ST's only come in Stick

2002 SVT's only come in stick

 

If you are not insecure about your masculinity, an automatic convertible is not girly. Mine certainly is not girly in my opinion, and nobody else's opinion matters.

 

one guys opinion.. I still got a lot of crap from hardcore track and drag guys. They all said the same thing.. "at least its stick" ..

and I am not insecure either.. I drive a focus and drove a few fiestas with pride.

 

When I was young I had several convertibles some with stick shift. I learned to drive standard on an old *****'s Jeep. When I moved on to cars I learned how to use a clutch. If you've ever driven an old Jeep you know that you could learn how to shift without using the clutch. Loved convertibles , but even then had the tops up most of the time due to the weather.

More recently I had a corvette with the removable top. At first I loved it but again found it noisy and hot in the summer. Now I think a roll bar would be good to have with a modern convertible.

Currently have a stick shift mustang coupe, which I am enjoying driving. My better half has a 2012 Focus with stick shift. We had to have the dealer search for one, as she also did not want any of the electronics either. They did find one with stick shift, and basic power windows air cd player. It did have a winter package, which turned out to be very nice to have this past winter.

I think there will always be people who want standard shift cars, in either case I got mine and she has hers. Next will be my daughter, who has been bugging us to teach her how to drive standard shift.

 

I think auto's are great! But yeah, there should always be an option!
I'm curious... how many supercars are offering a manual anymore? Ferrari? Lamborghini? GT-R? Porsche? :/
This is why I get sad towards future.
The quickest shift isn't what makes driving fun. I feel like some super car builders forget that. I remember some of the coolest looking manual transmissions to me are the gate shifters by Ferrari.

 

Enjoyed the photos. Thanks! My GT/CS is my 3rd manual convertible.
My first manual convertible, a '69 Fiat 850 Spyder with 4 speed. Bought it in 1973 for $950 when I was 19 years old. Yes, I'm older . The top leaked and it was the only 'vert I ever owned in 'way too hot' Florida. When you're a kid, you don't mind so much. I eventually 'graduated' to a '95 911 convertible with 6 speed which I just sold about two years ago (heartbreaking, but too expensive to maintain). My other current 'vert is the T/A but it is an auto (I guess that makes me girly ). The last two photos were taken on the Tail of the Dragon here on the NC/TN border. I plan on taking my Mustang there as soon as it stops raining. I'll post pictures of it eventually.

 

My wife had a red 850 spyder when we met. It was kind of a hoot but totally gutless. We had just taken off when our light turned green when I realized that someone from my left was not going to stop. I floored the 850 and got just enough acceleration that the other car hit our rear fender rather than my door. Once it was repaired, we sold it. That was in 1973 and we didn't get another convertible until 1999, but have had one ever since.

 

I had a Toyota MR2 Spyder and it was a awesome little machine. I sold it when I got married and had a baby. Oh and YES it was a manual!

 

What about her?
Oh, thanks! I'll tell her you said so!

 

SpeedCostsMoney, I really like the body style of those MR2 Spyders. I imagine they were rather peppy as well which makes for a nice combo.

 

You were lucky, just no protection in those.
Gutless?? That's being kind. 52 HP if I remember right. There was a rather long steep bridge that spanned Tampa Bay called the Sunshine Skyway between Bradenton and St Petersburg. In order for me to get over the crest I would have to build up speed to around 60 mph in order to make it over the top. I was down to about 30 mph at the top downshifting into 3rd. Now that's slooooowwwww. That bridge eventually was knocked down by a freighter in 1980 during a horrible storm. The new bridge wasn't as steep.

 

It cornered like a cat on carpet.

 

I Love driving a convertible. Finally got my first vert in '09 (bmw 128i ) after we moved from NY to FL now I will never go back to a coupe. As for the manuals, some of us don't have a choice :-( But for those who enjoy it and can drive one I hope they never go away.

 

As far as I know Ferrari and Lamborghini don't make any current cars with a manual gearbox. They are all paddle shifters. Same thing with a GT-R, you can't get that in a stick shift. Pretty sure the 911's have a 7 speed manual gearbox now (or paddle shifters/tiptronic if you want an auto).

And I love those gated shifters. The Audi R8 has one as well. They look great and the sound they make is so mechanical.

 

Don't kid yourself. Yours is girly. You bought the thing to attract attention to yourself, primarily female attention. They are attracted to the car because it is a girly mustang.



Generally speaking, V6 Convertible Mustang owners, particularly automatic equipped ones are owned either by teen to mid 20s girls or middle age men who on the edge of a midlife crisis trying to attract the attention of those mid-20s girls.