Fabia RS in Australia late 2011.

[K1W1]

Seeing as there is no Fabia or general Skoda section I picked this one.

I just read the article about Skoda in last Fridays Melbourne Sun cars guide (I assume that it would have also been in the Sydney Murdoch paper).
It seems that the Fabia RS with a 132kW motor and DSG only will be in Australia before the end of 2011.
There was also talk of another diesel engine option for the Superb and a possible second (petrol) engine for the Scout.

[Jake02]

The Fabia RS isn't made in a manual unfortunately and neither are its Ibiza Cupra/Polo GTi sisters either. I find it odd considering that they are the sporty models... But anyway, great to see that they're finally on track! The petrol-powered Scout is a great idea as some people don't like diesel, but the 1.8TSI DSG needs to be mated with the 4x4 system before they bring it here (same with the Yeti). I'm not sure what they'll do with the Superb. I'd like to see them replace the 118TSI with the 147TSI but I'd also like to see a non-V6 4x4 introduced here too like the 103TDI 4x4 was suggested in the article. I'd also like to see more Premium models, a la Scout Premium.

[K1W1]

I find it odd considering that they are the sporty models...

It wouldn't surprise me if the traditional manual transmission all but disappears in many market segments in the next couple of years. When you talk to dealers only a small percentage of their sales in any vehicle retail category (including tiny) these days is made up of manuals and from a manufacturers point of view one DSG style tans per model would make huge cost savings in manufacturing and ongoing spare parts and support costs.

[Guy_H]

I have one on order - can't wait!

[dru]

I have one on order - can't wait!

Already? Have they released pricing yet?

[Guy_H]

Nope, no pricing. We have been asked to built a concept car for another company.

[Brycem]

It wouldn't surprise me if the traditional manual transmission all but disappears in many market segments in the next couple of years. When you talk to dealers only a small percentage of their sales in any vehicle retail category (including tiny) these days is made up of manuals and from a manufacturers point of view one DSG style tans per model would make huge cost savings in manufacturing and ongoing spare parts and support costs.

Europeans and Brits prefer to drive their cars and thus manuals are the go over there. Australia is a tiny market for VW Group so manuals will still exist. It remains to be seen whether they are imported into this country as I heard recently that 73% of those taking the driving test are doing so in automatics. How very very sad.

[K1W1]

I wasn't talking specifically about VAG product but cars in general. All current markets will be dwarfed by China and India and I can't see manuals going down in a big way in those markets as they develop. Cost pressures will also force decisions about single transmission options only.

I think the reason why Euro people historically drive manuals is that the average buyer has only had a small under powered car as the affordable option. Driving manuals wasn't so much a choice as a financial necessity with large automatic cars being the domain of the upper class wealthy. That will now be changing very,very quickly.

[jbviajero]

Hmmm it is hard to say that the historical Manual majority in Europe is all about poor people driving underpowered cars. In just about any category except the luxury end they seem to have manual transmissions as the norm. They prefer to drive manuals - if I looked inside a hot hatch or even a more regular car (like a 1.8 118 TSI) they tended to have manual transmissions. So did the hire cars I drove - including a BMW 325. I think this is more about preference. In the same way that I chose a six speed manual over a 7 speed DSG on my 118 TSI. Even though it takes longer to change gear and uses a bit more fuel than the DSG, I simply prefer doing the gears myself.
I share the fear though that we are a dying breed.

[woofy]

There is an element of control that is always missing with auto gearboxes, even DSGs. I find it harder to parallel park Octavias with DSG. I thought it was just that mine had sensors where the hire cars didn't but then realised there was a lag particularly when parking on hills.