Page "Manual transmission" Paragraph 95

Conversely, manual transmissions are no longer popular in many classes of cars sold in North America, Australia and some parts of Asia, although they remain dominant in Europe, Asia and developing countries.

Nearly all cars are available with an automatic transmission option, and family cars and large trucks sold in the US are predominantly fitted with automatics, however in some cases if a buyer wishes he / she can have the car fitted with a manual transmission at the factory.

In Europe most cars are sold with manual transmissions.

Most luxury cars are only available with an automatic transmission.

In most cases where both transmissions are available for a given car, automatics are an at cost option, but in some cases the reverse is true.

Some cars, such as rental cars and taxis, are nearly universally equipped with automatic transmissions in countries such as the US, but the opposite is true in Europe.

As of 2008, 75. 2 % of vehicles made in Western Europe were equipped with manual transmission, versus 16. 1 % with automatic and 8. 7 % with other.