Tag: manuals!

Report: First batch of U.S.-bound Fiat 500s coming with manuals

Filed under: Car Buying, Hatchback, Chrysler, Fiat

Fiat 500

2011 Fiat 500 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Fiat dealerships are just about ready to swap your money for the keys to a brand-new 500. If you are planning on being one of the first to park one in your driveway, we hope that you know how to drive a manual transmission – the first units being shipped to dealers in February will all be equipped with manual transmissions.

If you can’t handle the three-pedal setup, you’ll be forced to wait a bit longer for your Fiat 500. Examples equipped with the six-speed automatic will begin arriving in March and April. Then again, you may have to wait that long regardless of your transmission preference, since currently, only 20 percent of the 130 Fiat dealerships are ready to open. The first one, Motor Village in Los Angeles, is set to open its doors later this month.

Gallery: Fiat 500 Colors

Fiat 500Fiat 500 in BiancoFiat 500 in Grigio

[Source: Autoweek]

Report: First batch of U.S.-bound Fiat 500s coming with manuals originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Car and Driver launches ‘Save the Manuals!’ campaign [w/video]

Filed under: Etc., Humor

Car and Driver wants to Save the Manuals – Click above to watch the video after the break

The minds at Car and Driver have anointed themselves the champions of the manual transmission. In order to defend the three-pedal way of life from the onslaught of apathetic automatics out there, the magazine has initiated a new awareness campaign under the “Save the Manuals” banner. The plan is more of an awareness movement than anything else, complete with PSA videos, stickers and buttons. Watch out slushboxes, this is a no-holds barred assault.

We’ve heard all of the arguments about why the age of the manual transmission is coming to a close – more efficient automatics, the rise of the double-clutch cog box, etc – but we still love rowing our own gears. Car and Driver has brought up an interesting point by saying that manuals can actually help cut down on distracted driving. How? It’s bound to be quite a bit more difficult to text while driving something with a third pedal.

Whether that’s true or not, we’ll let you decide, but if you want to get in on the campaign to save the manual transmissions from the icy claw of extinction, you can hop over to Car and Driver to see what you can do. You may just get your very own sticker to announce your pride. Hit the jump to watch the PSA. Hat tip to Rokas!

[Source: Car and Driver]

Continue reading Car and Driver launches ‘Save the Manuals!’ campaign [w/video]

Car and Driver launches ‘Save the Manuals!’ campaign [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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