[RahulNagaraj]

MINI is said to bring back manual transmission options on some of its models in 2023. Ahead of this, the brand will be launching a driving course to teach people how to drive a manual car.

According to a media report, the MINI Manual Driving School will give people a chance to familiarise themselves with the basics of operating a car with three pedals. The driving school will focus on vehicle control, practising smooth start/stops, acceleration, finding the friction point and more. At the end, participants will be tested on a timed course to access their learnings.



Rah Mahtani, Brand Communications Manager, stated that consumers have ranked MINI as the most fun-to-drive brand in America for over a decade, which is why they are bringing back manual transmissions. The course aims to offer a fun and challenging learning experience for a new generation of MINI drivers.

Reports state that the driving course will be held at the BMW Performance Center West, on a private race track in Palm Springs, California. The classes will start in Q1 of 2023, based on incoming bookings. Prices for the driving course are expected to be announced at a later date.

Source: Road&Track

Link to Team-BHP news

[invidious]

Ha. Fancy that. I lived there in the 1990s and even then when I took my driving test in a manual, the old lady taking the test was pleasantly surprised that someone still in his teens knows how to drive a manual. 20+ years later, I am assuming manual transmissions are about as prevalent there as Kodak camera rolls. Would be interesting if a niche audience does sign up.

[Jeroen]

Interesting! Although I am not quite sure to what purpose Mini is doing this? Would they attract that many new customers?

The USA driving license does not differentiate between manual and automatic. But there are plenty of countries that do.

In general the rule is that if you have a driving license for a manual you are also allowed to drive an automatic. But if you have a driving license for an automatic, you are not allowed to drive a manual!

My mum got her license when she was already into her 60s. She opted for the automatic, which of course, is easier to learn. But it meant my father who had never owned, nor driven an automatic had to buy a new automatic car. In their case they went from an Audi 100 to a Volvo 340DL. With the variable belt system from DAF in those days. (in those days it were still real belts!)

Certainly here in Europe most people will have obtained a manual DL. But it is beginning to chance, due to the fact that automatics have begun to be favoured by more and more people.

Also, of course, when you go full EV there is simply no manual version. (with the exception of maybe some old converted ICE powered cars, that for various reason had to leave the gearbox in place.

Jeroen

[HighRevving]

For us, never mind, these brands never bring manuals to India. Even if they did, after seeing things like what people did with the 718 manual in the Porsche event, they would probably teach the participants in a Swift first and then promote to the Mini.

My cousin used to drive a Mini manual in 2016, a pre-owned one. Having driven a manual here in India all the time, he preferred to buy a manual and the seller of the car was pleasantly surprised, shocked even, as manuals are very hard to sell in the US.



I am guessing this might be focused on a very small group of enthusiasts, a refreshing change from people offering/wanting ADAS these days.

[RunGaDa]

I drove a manual 2001 Jetta, Wolfsberg Edition in the US. My Indian mates went crazy as I took them for a drive, they never forgive me as they were not able to drive the spanking new car.

Later, after a couple of years of living in India, I went back and wanted to get my license in Texas. I was used to manual but couldn't get one for the test, got an automatic. I drove the automatic with one hand on the steering wheel, there were zero errors, all tasks including parallel parking done perfectly. Failed!
Remarks: "Incorrect Driving Posture."

Cursed by luck.

Anyways, I love manuals, its fun and get a feeling of being in control all the time.

[fhdowntheline]

As someone who recently purchased a manual Tiago for my beater car needs, this is good news. The 2nd /3rd gear combination is better than an Amt giving pre- programmed jerks.Only in a manual car can you occasionally give your right foot a quick rest .( other than cruise control)

[shankar.balan]

I love Minis. Always have. Since the age of 3 or 4
when I first saw one in Madras in 1974-1975 - a red 1959 Austin Mini.

I love the turbo charged new revival BMW Mini Coopers, especially the one I now own - the red modern classic R56 S with the paddle shifters. It is great fun to zoom up and down the hill roads in it, ‘cutting’ gears often and quite unnecessarily, just for the inimitable aural pleasure of hearing that lovely exhaust burble on the over-run and the intermittent pops and bangs that ensue! (Don’t mind me adding a pic of it, its a real beautiful work of art.)

It is really nice that they are re-introducing people to the joys of driving a manual stick shift, especially because in the feisty little Mini, it can be an absolute joy to drive a stick shift on a lovely twisty mountain road. I would absolutely love to also own a stick shift, naturally aspirated version of the Mini Cooper S if ever they bring out a last-of-the-line, commemorative-jubilee edition of it some day before the perversity of the modern world and the powers-that-be, outlaw all forms of joy related to the internal combustion engine and banish these works of Art and icons of sensory pleasure, forever, into the dungeons and dust-heaps of history.