Time for a quick trivia question for our readers, which was inspired by some city driving this morning. The Subaru I was driving has a 6-speed manual gearbox, which is great in theory, with closer gear spacing for maniacal acceleration at all times. Unfortunately, in city driving it is a busy experience and I almost spilled my latte-frappucino-vodka-milkshake. It made me wonder with all the 6-speeds you see in vehicles like a 2014 Kia Rio if anyone still sells a 5-speed manual? Of course you can get one in a 2014 Honda Fit, or 2014 Subaru Impreza, but the days of the 5-speed are numbered because you can get a few more MPG on the EPA certified fuel economy test when properly designed. Then I thought, what was the last car to have a 4-speed manual gearbox?
Truth be told, I don't know. It is probably something American built with a name like the Top-Loader or Super T-10, but I'm sure someone in the comments will know.
I know the Mazda B-Series (and Ford Ranger) came with a 4-speed with overdrive up until at least 1998, but I do not know if that gearbox was offered in the next generation.
ReplyDeleteNot counting trucks, my vote is the Porsche 911 Turbo. Sure there may have been some other 4-speed bargain bin cars made after Porsche offered the Turbo with 5 gears but but they certainly were no match for the 930.
ReplyDeleteOk, so I've confirmed that up until 1993, you could get a Pontiac (really a Daewoo) LeMans with a 4 speed. Anyone got anything newer?
ReplyDelete(And I was focusing on the "car" part of the question....I know there are plenty of trucks with later model years)
DeleteThe Tata Nano still has a 4 speed manual
Deletehttp://www.tatanano.com/nano-twist-technical-specifications.html
Good point....I was probably being a bit US-centric in my thinking. I guess India isn't burdened with CAFE standards. ;-)
DeleteI think you could get a Toyota Tercel with a 4-speed until at least 1994.
ReplyDeleteNice call Andrew, and actually, it was until 1996.
DeleteUntil 2000 here in Canada.. The local pizza joint used two of them for delivery vehicles.
DeleteThe 2015 Golf will be available with two or four doors and with two powertrains: the EA888 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injection four-cylinder TSI® engine mated to a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic
ReplyDeletehttp://media.vw.com/release/749
I'm thinking the Ford Festiva.
ReplyDeleteSloth,
ReplyDeleteIn 1989, the last year of the initial 930 run, Porsche ran the G50 five speed in the Turbo. Up to that point you're right they ran a 4 speed for durability . . . and big RPM drops between shifts. Still loads-o-fun.
XJ220
Can we agree that the 930 the last awesome superish car with a 4 speed?
DeleteOnline is the best place to look for any kind of help specially which requires more time in physical shops. One of those are online repair manuals Porsche and it is absolutely free.
ReplyDeleteThe Seat Arosa from 1998 had a 4 speed option
ReplyDelete