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wildbill23c said:

I figured that as well. Although driving a manual transmission equipped vehicle seems be much more fun and enjoyable than turning a knob or moving a lever to D and taking off LOL.

Saw a small segment on the Price is Right this morning they were trying to give away a Ferrari but it had a 7 speed automatic transmission...well that's just no fun at all, in a sports car I'd expect a manual LOL. What fun is it to have a fast car if you are stuck with a slush box .

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Who wants a Ferrari that will get outran by a Lambo with a slushbox?

Most of the high end automatics have paddleshifters which makes it kind of arbitrary anyway, it still shifts when you tell it to just faster than a human can shift it and it will never miss a gear.

http://www.onallcylinders.com/2017/05/22/ford-fires-ceo-mark-fields-promotes-driverless-vehicle-leader-jim-hackett-replacement/

And that is what you get for not pushing tech hard enough as it is...

85_Ranger4x4 said:

Who wants a Ferrari that will get outran by a Lambo with a slushbox?

Most of the high end automatics have paddleshifters which makes it kind of arbitrary anyway, it still shifts when you tell it to just faster than a human can shift it and it will never miss a gear.

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Aren't those paddle shift transmissions still electronically controlled in the shift points like most autos are now that have the manual shift gates? As in, just because you shift from 1st to 2nd doesn't mean it will let you, or won't downshift when you shift from 5th to 4th until it deems necessary? Or is it just an auto-clutch, just use paddles to shift through the gears without a shift lever and clutch pedal?

wildbill23c said:

Aren't those paddle shift transmissions still electronically controlled in the shift points like most autos are now that have the manual shift gates? As in, just because you shift from 1st to 2nd doesn't mean it will let you, or won't downshift when you shift from 5th to 4th until it deems necessary? Or is it just an auto-clutch, just use paddles to shift through the gears without a shift lever and clutch pedal?

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High end stuff is immediate, some of the lower end stuff isn't quite so nice.

85_Ranger4x4 said:

High end stuff is immediate, some of the lower end stuff isn't quite so nice.

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Depends on how much you pay with many things I assume. Still wouldn't mind having a manual but I can see why its not really viable to do so anymore between technology and the lost art of people that can drive them it makes sense to not even bother with the option, just one less part to have to build and keep on inventory.

wildbill23c said:

Depends on how much you pay with many things I assume. Still wouldn't mind having a manual but I can see why its not really viable to do so anymore between technology and the lost art of people that can drive them it makes sense to not even bother with the option, just one less part to have to build and keep on inventory.

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But it is kind of to be expected too though. Do you really expect the paddle shifter in a Scion FRS to be the same as a Ferrari?

At the end of the day a modern automatic will shift better, faster and more consistently than the best guy with a stick if you want performance.

The 6-speed auto in my '07 Sport Trac will hold 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears as long as you hold the console mounted floor shifter in whichever of those three gears you want and with the 2-speed transfer case it has good engine braking for steep downhill off-road situations. 4th gear is 1:1 and you can also lock out both 5th and 6th overdrive gears if you want while towing by pushing a button on the side of the shifter. However, for most on-road performance situations I have found that its best to let the computer shift for you.

blksn8k said:

The 6-speed auto in my '07 Sport Trac will hold 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears as long as you hold the console mounted floor shifter in whichever of those three gears you want and with the 2-speed transfer case it has good engine braking for steep downhill off-road situations. 4th gear is 1:1 and you can also lock out both 5th and 6th overdrive gears if you want while towing by pushing a button on the side of the shifter. However, for most on-road performance situations I have found that its best to let the computer shift for you.

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My 3spd C-5 does that too.

BTW putting it in second is nice for starting off in snow.

I'll never buy one of the new rangers. I prefer keeping my old 1998 no frills truck. Manual windows and door locks. AC doesn't work so it's a windows down ride, which I prefer. Even when driving my 2004 Lightning with ac, I still drive it with the windows down so I can hear the music a supercharged engine makes.

You can get a base fiesta with a manual transmission. So there is hope.
If there is no manual transmission. I guess I may have to travel to a left hand drive junk yard and do some converting.

As long as Ford doesn't use the Fiesta-Focus trans. Bought a 15 Focus 1 1/2years ago, trans feels like chain drive on a wooden roller coaster. Almost had it with ford if they don't make a regular cab with bench seat, I'll look at nissan. No one can afford a new tacco.

stegomon said:

Do you think the ranger will have manual windows and transmission?

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Why ? I hope not.

Having manual everything as an option on a base model would be good for some buyers, especially commercial fleet sales. However, I would question whether or not sales of a manual trans option would be high enough to cover the cost of EPA emissions certification. Unfortunately, there are reasons why you can't get one in an F-150...

Most US passenger vehicles will have to an automatic variant after 2020 as the highway safety admins are mandating the auto braking systems. The legislation i read did have a special exemption for performance vehicles based on production numbers. Its very doubtful manual transmissions will be seen much in the future.

wildbill23c said:

Trouble is no matter what options they decide they're going to price these trucks so ridiculously high that people will continue to buy an F150 or F250...and considering the ridiculous prices on F150's may as well just jump right into an F250 LOL.

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The real problem behind the pricing is that it costs nearly the same to build a compact/midsize truck as it does a full size.

But I think people will buy it, look at the Colorado/Canyons, people are buying them up at a decent rate. If Ford doesn't put ludicrous prices on them like the Soda can f150's, they'll sell them by the truck load.

I don't know about other areas of the country, but here in the mid west most new houses don't come with garages to fit $45,000 full size pickups. The normal consumer wants their $45,000 vehicle to sleep in the a garage and the normal consumer doesn't really need a full size truck. I think you'll see the normal consumer moving towards garage and gas friendly mid size pickups. Besides the new Ranger is supposedly sized more like 97-04 f150s.