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The Great Debate: We get revved up over manual versus automatic cars

Staff WriterWestern Suburbs Weekly

Every week we debate the topics that drive you nuts, this week we discuss which car is superior – the manual or automatic.

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Manual gearboxes are the last bastion in retaining control over accelerating technology that is replacing the individual.

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The driver has to think and engage with the road and traffic, resulting in having control over their vehicle.

They can save fuel and, dropping a gear or two, properly drive with a nimble entry and exit from a corner.

It is safer because having a gear stick mostly prevents using mobile phones.

Knowing how to drive a manual also saves the young embarrassment when faced with a proper five- or six-speed and a clutch.

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Ken Burrowes, Editorial Director

A manual gearbox had its place in the days when a clunky automatic transmission struggled to cope with inclines and sudden acceleration or decelerations, especially when towing or hauling a heavy load.

But such is the technological advancement in our cars, a manual gearbox is now nothing more than the tool of a chest-beating Tarzan.

The smooth precision of a modern automatic gearbox means we are now free to concentrate on the main task at hand – observing our surroundings and driving safely.