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One of the major differences between Europe and the United States, beyond the metric system or how coffee is served, is the type of transmission preferred for cars. While automatic transmission is almost ubiquitous in the U.S., it is common in Europe to find cars with manual gearboxes. Why is this the case?
American comfort vs. European control
In the United States, driving is designed for comfort. Wide roads, smooth traffic, long straight highways, and cities built for cars. All of this has favored the dominance of automatic transmission since the 1950s, allowing drivers to forget about the clutch and focus solely on accelerating and braking.
Europe, on the other hand, is filled with narrow streets, steep hills, ancient cities with complicated traffic, and roundabouts at every turn. Here, manual transmission offers drivers more control and, traditionally, greater fuel efficiency.
A matter of costs and efficiency
For decades, automatic cars consumed more fuel than manual ones. In Europe, where gasoline is much more expensive than in the U.S., this has been a decisive factor.
Primitive automatic systems wasted more energy during gear shifts due to the torque converter, a component that replaces the clutch and, while convenient, was not exactly efficient. In contrast, manual transmissions allowed for more precise control over the engine's RPM and the exact moment of shifting, resulting in more efficient fuel consumption, especially on urban routes or those with many inclines.
Additionally, automatic vehicles used to be more expensive and complicated to repair.
The perception that manual labor is cheaper and more efficient continues to hold weight among Europeans.
Automatic transmissions were heavier, more complex, and more expensive to repair than manual ones. With hydraulic components, torque converters, and more delicate control systems, they required specialized workshops and were often replaced rather than repaired. While a manual transmission could weigh around 40 kg, an automatic easily exceeded 80 kg, which also affected fuel consumption and performance, especially in small cars.
Although automatic transmissions have greatly improved today—with technologies like CVT and dual-clutch systems—the perception that manual is cheaper and more efficient still prevails among Europeans.
Learning to drive makes a difference
In most European countries, if you learn to drive with an automatic car, your license is limited to that type of vehicle. Therefore, it is common to learn with a manual. In the United States, there is no such restriction: you learn with an automatic, you drive an automatic, and almost no one considers another option.
Examples that summarize the history
In Europe: The legendary Volkswagen Beetle was one of the most popular cars on the continent for decades. Its manual transmission was part of the charm, offering mechanical simplicity and low fuel consumption.
In the United States: Models like the Cadillac Eldorado from the 70s reflect the American philosophy of luxury on wheels. Massive, heavy, smooth, and always with automatic transmission. Installing a manual shift in one of those boats would have been nearly sacrilegious.
In 1939, General Motors introduced the Hydramatic, the first mass-produced automatic transmission, in the Oldsmobile. Its success was so remarkable that during World War II, the U.S. Army adapted it for tanks and military vehicles. From there, the expansion of automatic transmission in America was unstoppable.
The future is automatic... or electric
Nowadays, automatic transmission is starting to gain ground in Europe, thanks to the rise of hybrid and electric cars that don't use manual transmissions. Brands like Toyota, Tesla, and even Renault are increasingly offering models without a clutch pedal. In the long run, the manual gearbox seems destined to become a rarity... or a whim for nostalgics.
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