Once upon a time, a Volkswagen Golf GTI with a manual transmission was one of the coolest hatches around, but it seems that those days are long gone, at least according to the German brand.
This has come from a recent report that was published by German outlet Auto Motor und Sport, which details how Volkswagen is planning to completely phase out the manual transmission.
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According to the report, every single manual transmission across VW's range is set to face the chop, starting in 2023 with the Tiguan and Passat.
While this might seem like horrible news for enthusiasts (and it is), the report claims that it is a cost-cutting measure on Volkswagen's part, which looks to simplify production processes.
This makes perfect sense when you look at the German brand's plan to move into electric cars, which famously have no need for a manual transmission, or any transmission at all in some cases.
Phasing out the manual transmission shouldn't affect Volkswagen here in New Zealand, or its customers, as the majority of the range already features self-shifting units.
The only Volkswagen models that feature a manual transmission are the Transporter and the Crafter, although you'd have to place a special order to get one in the bigger van.
As a whole, the Volkswagen Group look to be closing the gate on the manual-equipped machines, with Porsche and Skoda looking like the only brands keen to continue with them.