Volkswagen committed to manuals

Volkswagen has vowed to keep developing manual transmissions if demand for three-pedal vehicles remains.

According to head of technical development Matthias Rabe, speaking to

Volkswagen announced last year that it would introduce an all-new, more efficient manual transmission dubbed MQ281 into the recently facelifted Passat. It's claimed to boost fuel consumption and reduce CO2 emissions by an average of 5g/km.

However, as other car-makers turn their collective back on manuals in the face of falling demand, lack of demand saw Volkswagen Australia withdraw the option of a six-speed manual on the Golf GTI and R hot hatches back in November 2018.

There are now doubts about whether the all-new Mk8 Golf R will be available with a clutch pedal when it arrives in 2021, although a six-speed manual has been confirmed for the all-new Golf GTI, which arrives as part of the new VW Golf 8 hatch range late this year.

While the mainstream German brand believes there's plenty of life left in the manual transmission, sister brand Porsche is also lobbying Volkswagen Group management hard to keep manuals alive, despite rivals like Ferrari and Lamborghini no longer offering them in any of their cars.