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Although many manufacturers are ditching manual transmissions, there are several reasons they will never go out of style.

Although many manufacturers are ditching manual transmissions, there are plenty of reasons why they will never go out of style. Manual transmissions are beloved all around the world by car owners and enthusiasts alike.

It all started in 1894 with the inventors, Louis-Rene Panhard and Emile Levassor, when they demonstrated their 3-speed manual transmission. This featured a clutch and flywheel system that transferred power from the engine to the wheels.

There are lots of reasons for the love behind manual transmissions, and here, we'll highlight some reasons why.

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Although manual transmissions require more work to operate, they do have their benefits. Vehicles with manual transmissions tend to be cheaper from the manufacturer, as they charge another few thousand dollars to equip your vehicle with an automatic transmission. They are generally cheaper to maintain and last longer than their counterpart, leaving more money in your wallet.

Driving cars with manual transmissions gives you more control of your vehicle. Since you manually press in the clutch and shift into the gear you want, there is no doubt that you have more control of your vehicle. This gives you the ability to downshift, as you can take advantage of engine braking., which lessens the wear on your brake pads.

Another benefit of driving a manual car is the customizability of the manual transmission. With the choice of a short-throw shifter, a variety of shift knobs, and even custom pedal sets, the perfect combination for you can easily be found. Many drivers also suggest that you feel more "connected" to the car since you are manually selecting your gears.

Since you need to manually ease in the clutch and shift gears, driving a manual car requires much more attention. This unintentionally makes you a better driver, since your car requires you to pay attention to the road. This makes you more alert to your surroundings because you have to choose the ideal RPM range for your car to be in. Failure to do so may cause you to have inadequate power or lose control. This can also limit the number of people that can borrow your car. Unless they know how to use a clutch, they won't be able to make it very far.

Another great perk of knowing how to drive cars with manual transmissions is that not many people know how to drive them. This makes it a great additional security feature on top of what you can be equipped with today. Approximately 18% of Americans can drive manual, leaving a large majority of people who don't know how to use a clutch. Although being able to drive manual overseas is much more common, the addition of a third pedal proves to give thieves a tougher time.

Another feature that comes with your manual transmission is that you no longer have to worry about a dead battery. Traditionally, you wouldn't be able to start your car until you got a jump start from an external power source. However, with manual transmission vehicles, you can roll your car and as it gains momentum, drop the clutch in gear, and it will start. This is known as pop starting, which is a feature automatic transmissions cannot accomplish due to their structure. This trick may save you in a situation where help is hours away.

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The myth is true that driving vehicles with manual transmissions gives you more miles per gallon. This is because manual transmissions unanimously weigh significantly less than automatic transmissions, promoting weight reduction. This isn't to say that automatic transmissions haven't drastically improved over time, but with manual transmissions, you can further promote fuel economy by choosing to cruise in a low RPM range, or by coasting down hills in neutral. Also, this will maximize the fuel you put in your tank.

Manual transmissions also give you the ability to hold more power. Automatic transmissions tend to suffer more from what is called drivetrain loss, which is the power loss between the engine and the wheels. This plagues automatic transmissions more, since their internal components require some power from the engine to function. This is mainly the reason manual transmissions are equipped with performance vehicles.

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Although modern automatic transmissions have proven to be faster than its counterpart, the most obvious reason the manual transmission won't go out of style is the raw driving experience that automatics just can't provide.

With an automatic, you simply shift into drive and then press the gas, only bring you from point A to B. The other option is to push in the clutch, shift into gear and press the gas.

One only provides transportation and one provides a raw driving experience, and this is why the manual transmission will never go out of style.

Based in the East Coast, Joshua Ko is an automotive writer. Graduating from The Pennsylvania State University, he spends most of his free time outdoors, writing, or in the garage. He has a few years of writing experience and plenty of automotive experience. He prefers German vehicles but loves anything with wheels!