The manual gearbox may be past its prime, but some automakers are still trying to keep the stick shift alive. It’s not just BMW with the M cars and Mazda with the Miata holding on to the six-speed DIY transmission; Subaru is also investing time and resources in cars with three pedals. The Japanese company held a press conference over the weekend at Fuji Speedway during an endurance race to preview three new manual-equipped cars.
According to local media, Chief Technology Officer Tetsuro Fujinuki said Subaru has pledged: “We aim to create cars that can be enjoyed more casually.” From left to right, a new WRX variant is on the way with a TY85 transmission borrowed from previous STI models. Whether that means a full-blown WRX STI is planned remains unclear, but whatever this model turns out to be, it appears to take inspiration from the WRX STI Sport# Prototype shown earlier this year.
