Mercedes Has Bad News For Manual Lovers

No timeframe was provided for the death of Mercedes' manual transmissions. US models won't be affected by this decision, however since Mercedes hasn't offered a manual option for American customers since the SLK250 (now sold as theSLC) was discontinued back in 2015.

European customers will soon have fewer transmission options to choose from, however, as theA-Class SedanandGLA-Classare currently offered with a manual outside of the US, unlike their US counterparts that are only available with a seven-speed automatic. UK customers can also row their own gears in the A-Class hatchback with an optional six-speed manual gearbox, but this will be scrapped in favor of an automatic.

Mercedes' decision to scrap manual gearboxes altogether isn't surprising since there isn't a high demand for this transmission option in high-end luxury models. As part of the cost-cutting plan, Mercedes is also planning a "very dramatic reduction in combustion engines" according to Cable, as well as a "substantial reduction in platforms," meaning more models willshare the same platform in the futureto reduce development costs.

Mercedes also aims to reduce operating costs by more than 20 percent by 2025. R&D costs will also decrease by over 20 percent by 2025 compared to 2019, while variable costs will be reduced by one percent by 2025 compared to 2019.