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The three-pedal layout is on its last legs in Wolfsburg, with new reports pointing to the manual gearbox’s death in new Volkswagens by 2030.
Citing company insiders, the outlet claim increasing costs, low customer demand, and the shift to electrification as the primary factors responsible for the move. Drive’s own sources suggest the timeline laid out in the article is accurate.
Volkswagen currently offers just three passenger models in Australia with a manual option: the Polo city hatchback, Golf small hatchback, and Amarok dual-cab ute.
A spokesperson for the company locally told Drive: “We’re quite advanced on this front – here, manuals make up in the low single digits as a percentage of total sales.”
By 2030, Volkswagen claims electric cars will account for approximately 70 per cent of sales in Europe, and half of all sales in the USA and China. Few electric vehicles have more than one gear ratio, and manual transmissions are extraordinarily rare.
It is unclear if the wider 14-marque Volkswagen Group will be subject to the move. However, a spokesperson for Porsche has previously suggested the sports car brand would continue to offer a three-pedal layout in select models for as long as it was viable.
He has maintained a primary focus on industry trends, autonomous technology, electric vehicle regulations, and local environmental policy.
As the newest addition to the Drive team, William was brought onboard for his attention to detail, writing skills, and strong work ethic.
Despite writing for a diverse range of outlets – including the Australian Financial Review, Robb Report, and Property Observer – since completing his media degree at Macquarie University, William has always had a passion for cars.
Read more about William Davis
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