I noticed that in north america there is no option AT ALL for a manual gear box. Are these new models only available in AUTO ? If so Audi is going to loose a BIG chunk of the market!

As there are die hard manual lovers (like me)...

Also no diesel option...I thought they were going to have a 2L and 3L diesels....

I am drooling over a 3.0L Diesel Quattro 6sp (manual) A4 Avant and for what is worth I am in Canada.

There is a manual paddle shifter option for the Sports package ... and that's what I really care about. I love paddle shifters ... much faster to shift than the old clunky clutch system. Even the lambos use it ... clutches are out, paddle shifters are in.

10% of all sales in the bracket?

. . .it would be my best guess that Audi SHOULD completely abandon the manual transmission option here in the US.

Now, before you go throwing stones at me, I am one of those folks who bought almost exclusively manual transmissions (both Audi and BMW) for years.

The manual transmission market for Audi one could imagine is a loser. Why? Well, contrary to your statement, demand for manual transmission Audis are a fly speck -- not at all huge.

Now, again, before you bite my head off, my source for this information is my dealer and even my four trips to the Audi driving school in Germany -- with AMERICAN students. The folks at Audi in Ingolstadt say things like "very low manual transmission demand." The dealers, here in River City, too, ditto.

Audi did cave in to the volume of the sound, not the quantity of the source, and offered virtually every car (save the A8) in manual transmission mode in this century -- the cars are still rusting on the dealer's parking lots.

Get a bunch of folks together to put MONEY out, quietly -- Audi is not listening to noise anymore.

I don't blame them.

The benefits of manual (power delivery and fuel mileage) with the driving convenience of the far better selling automatics. Even there it has been a tough road in the US. ("The DSG shifts to rough for US buyers.") Which sparked the "fast shifting tiptronic" for the US market until the S-tronic is further refined.

Wife's car.

When I replace the B5, it will be a manual. The chances of it being an Audi are looking slim.

Too bad. I like the brand. At the moment, Audi just isn't selling a product that matches my needs.

Starting in 1997 or so, Audi has never offered manual transmission vehicles in the US that were comparable in quantity and features with their automatic counterparts. Manual Audis were always either 1) hard/impossible to find or 2) under-equipped(couldn't be equipped the same way, same features, etc.). How many stick allroads were brought over? 2.7tt A6s? All this whining about low demand but guys, since 96, you never put forth a solid effort to appeal to driving enthusiasts(that ended with the 95.5 S6). You put forth half-assed efforts each time and when those failed(2000 A6 2.8q 5sp, anyone?-how many know those exist?), you decided the market didn't demand what you had to offer. And I hate to bring this up again but if the demand for manuals in the US were non-existent, BMW wouldn't be offering so many models with a stick. Yet, I can go and find a 3, a 5(wagon, no less), an x3 or any of the roadsters, all with a third pedal. Something else is broken within AoA and I wouldn't be entirely blaming US consumer demand for this one.

And as of right now in the US it is not acceptable to either camp, but it is the move Audi appears to be making.

Manual purists say DSG is uninvolved and not an acceptable replacement of a manual. Automatic buyers say DSG is too rough shifting compared to a torque converter system.(Both of them disregarding that it is equally or more efficient than either.)

My bet is the B8 2010 S4 will either come to the US as DSG only or the performance specs of the DSG will beg the question "why buy the manual?".

I had the paddles on my last A4 and I love its not paddle shifting its the trans it is hooked to.

No manual transmission, no FWD CVT, no sport package, no S-line, price increase a month after introduction, ... The list of miscues at launch goes on and on.

It was the Japanese.

It took at least a year from my recollection to get a suitably real engine into their segment defining "sports" car. But that's a digression. We expect General Motors to screw up. It's what they do. Audi on the other hand *should* be better at this kind of stuff.

Mark's right. If you have finite resources you'll do better to sling product at the biggest portion of your target demo. The only company that caters (almost) exclusively to enthusiasts is Porsche (outside of Eye-Tye boutiques) and even they have bitch sticks on offer.

whether you're dealing with Ford or Ferrari, often certain combinations and options aren't available at launch. things may be more uncertain than normal right now because of the state of the world economy. every manufacturer will have to cut back on their offerings.

Sorry to be such a hair shirted Medonite but I've decided at the ripe old age of 44 with a crappy left knee (thanks U of M lacrosse!) that even slogging through the best/worst traffic DC can throw up, I'd rather row my own. Yes, the new autos & DSG are better/faster/more gas efficient. I don't care. I ENJOY driving a manual more and if I'm paying for it? Give me three pedals & a stickshift. Or me & my $$$ are going elsewhere.

. . .there were NO DIFFERENCES between the stick and the auto in terms of optional extras.

Mine (a 2003) had Premium Paint, sat nav, On*star, tpms, Premium everything and full on painted bumpers, fenders, etc.

I have never seen (and I have had 27 Audis since 1977) any Audi that offered a stick and an automatic transmission that could not be identically configured. Now, then, when I bought my first A8 it ONLY was offered in auto, when I bought my first S6, it was ONLY offered in manual.

Every Audi ever offered in dual mode could be had with all the trimmings.

When the S6 avant came out -- it was only an automatic, so your point does have some merit.

But, the MOST compelling Audis, for years, were always offered in either or and over time the American consumer simply purchased fewer and fewer manual equipped versions.

It was never an inventory constraint -- it was a demand constraint.

Financially, no one wants them -- 'cept you and me. And, even then, we two cannot simultaneously put our money where our mouths are -- what would you do?

Bring cars that would sit on the lots depreciating or bring cars to market that will sell.

Audis sales are on a tear more or less -- and they keep getting better the more they let the manual versions die out.

Demand = Supply. Low to no demand -- well, you figure it out.

... and dealers have waiting lists to purchase that car.