Some folks reckon the days of manual transmissions are numbered. Others, like Ford Motor Company, reckon the good old stick shift still has some way to go before being put out to pasture. Companies like Ford believe there are still many customers who prefer to use a manual gearbox, especially in certain applications where the manual selection of gears enhances the driving experience. Like the seven-speed manual transmission available in the Ford Bronco.And in other news, Swedish hypercar maker Koenigsegg has developed a manual gearbox that is also an automatic gearbox. With no less than six clutches and a bag full of tricks, Koenigsegg's new Engage Shift System (ESS) may very well represent the future of the manual gearbox. Here are all the low-down details about Ford's cool seven-speed manual gearbox, and Koenigsegg's ESS technology. Gearing Up? Nope, Gearing Down! FordIt's supposed to offer customers the best of several worlds, all in one package. It is Ford's unique seven-speed manual gearbox, available in the Bronco range. Yes, there are still some folks out there who prefer stick shift over an automatic gearbox, especially when it comes to heading off on amazing off-the-beaten track motoring adventures. And these off-road excursions may include driving up a mountain at a 30-degree angle, over some boulders.Using a highly capable 4WD with an automatic gearbox on that mountain is, well, it's perfectly okay and cool. But doing it in a 4WD with a manual gearbox offers a more engaging and precise driving experience, as preferred by many hardcore 4WD enthusiasts.Ford How does it work? On the road, the gearbox is effectively a regular six-speed manual gearbox, offering a normal stick-shift driving experience. But when you need to negotiate some minor obstacle, you simply lift the collar on the stick shift, hook the lever all the way to the left, and down, and with crawler gear engaged, the Bronco will clamber over just about any obstacle. Thanks to the Crawler gear's 6.58:1 ratio, it will get up and over colossal stuff, even with the 4WD system in the high range transfer case setting.When you head to that rocky mountain, and things get really spicy, you can up the game by selecting the low-range option. Now that crawler gear gets super low and, with all the other systems and 4WD tricks up the Bronco's sleeve, you can go literally anywhere, anytime. Roughing It UpFord Is the Bronco's manual gearbox really a thing? Yes, it is. It was introduced in 2021 and was initially only available on limited trims. Now, it is available across almost the entire Bronco range, but only if the 2.3-liter 'four' is equipped. Clearly, Ford Bronco customers have a keen appetite for the Getrag-sourced manual gearbox.The range kicks off with the Ford Bronco Base, with a starting price of $40,495. The base model is powered by Ford's four-cylinder 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine with a very handy 300 hp. You can have this version with the seven-speed manual gearbox or Ford's 10-speed automatic gearbox.The manual gearbox is available in numerous trims, but the Badlands is really the one you want in order to make the most of the seven-speed. This derivative gets all the great 4WD stuff, including a front sway-bar disconnect, a transfer case and a trick 4WD system, front and rear differential locks, the option of 33 or 35-inch all-terrain tires, ground clearance for days and, most importantly, it has that special crawler gear.But does that crawler gear really make a difference? Yes, it does. Most reputable 4WD experts will always advise a driver to tackle an obstacle as 'slowly as possible, as fast as necessary'. Essentially, the slower you can tackle the boulders, the less chance there is of damaging your $50k 4WD. And with the Bronco manual's reduced gear ratio with that crawler gear, you can aim it, and literally let the 4WD system sort out the details as it slowly, slowly crawls its way up and over the rocks. In many instances, the driver doesn't need to touch the brake or accelerator pedals... that crawler gear is so low, and the torque from the 330-hp engine so effectively applied, it will walk itself up just about anything, all by itself.Ford The Bronco's manual gearbox system also gets a few other tricks to assist the driver in really tough 4WD conditions. This includes anti-stall and automatic blip control.Yes, the automatic version can crawl up that mountain, too. But even with low-range selected, and first gear on the 10-speed automatic gearbox engaged, it will not crawl as slowly as the manual version, providing less precise control.In short, Ford has clearly demonstrated that the manual gearbox is still very much in the game, offering car enthusiasts a more involving driving experience, and more precise control in really, really tough 4WD conditions. Of course, a manual transmission and 330 hp never gets old either. Thankfully then – for driving enthusiasts' sake – the stick shift is not quite done yet. We've Seen This All Before, Haven't We? Ford Well, sort of yes, but also no. What Ford has effectively reintroduced with this slick seven-speed is what motorists would have traditionally called a "granny gear." Essentially, an extremely low ratio first gear, which allows the vehicle to crawl along in first, much in the same way that a granny might shuffle along. This sort of transmission was popular in decades past, particularly in SUVs and trucks, which would occasionally have to deal with rougher tracks and bumpy trails in general work applications. It was the perfect solution for pulling hefty loads up steep inclines without having to feather the throttle and clutch, plus, if you didn't need to use it, you could simply set off in second. Ford's Bronco 'box differs slightly from the old-school design, as instead of altering the first gear's ratio, Ford just slotted another gear in there. Innovation like this proves that old ideas don't need to stay dormant forever, and Ford isn't the only automaker reinventing the wheel, or gear in this case, in order to stand out in crowded markets today. A Shifty Deal? KoenigseggMore recently, Swedish hypercar creator Christian von Koenigsegg kicked the 'This is how a manual gearbox must work handbook' to the curb, and created a whole new design he calls the Engage Shift System (ESS). According to Koenigsegg, this technology may very well represent the future of the manual gearbox, especially in high-performance cars.Swedish car company Koenigsegg is known for its record-breaking, speedy cars. Cars like the Koenigsegg CC850. However, what the company does not do so well is to follow rules. Instead of creating cars using existing designs, parts and layouts, Christian von Koenigsegg and his engineers prefer to create their own, innovative versions of designs that seemed to work perfectly in the first place. As a result, Koenigsegg has more than 20 patents pending with the US patent office.Take Koenigsegg's Light Speed Transmission (LST), for instance. The patented multi-shaft design is combined with the company's award-winning Engage Shifter System (ESS) technology, along with no less than six clutches, and essentially offers a six-speed manual gearbox driving experience (with a clutch pedal and gated manual gear lever), and a nine-speed fully automatic gearbox option, offering super-fast shifts. It is said to offer the best of both worlds, with the visceral driving experience of a manual car that also happens to have 1,385 hp and can sprint from 0-60 mph in just 2.5 seconds, or a fully automatic option when you are stuck in traffic, or are having a less visceral kind of day.Koenigsegg The gearbox appears to be a thing of wonder. In an interview with TopGear.com, Christian von Koenigsegg explained that the compact gearbox, which weighs just 200 lb, has three sets of gears, and each of those sets has three different gears. Using the company's patented multi-shaft system, the gearbox will actually change the gear ratios when you select between normal, comfort and track modes, selecting the ideal combination of sets of gears for your application. And, when you are done with the track day, you simply select "Drive", and your Koenigsegg turns into a fully automatic, nine-speed hypercar.If the Koenigsegg LST and ESS gearbox represent the future of the manual gearbox, that future may not be so shabby after all. Where Will It All End?Ford Ford has proven that there is still a place in the automotive world for the manual gearbox. And it is not limited to the Bronco, of course. The Mustang also comes with the option of a six-speed manual, and, combined with the V8 engine, revving to around 8,000 rpm, it offers all the right feels and visceral delights you'd expect to find in a high-performance car.Ford Yes, some performance brands like Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, Lamborghini, Mini and many more have altogether discarded the manual gearbox option, with claims such as improved efficiency and customer preferences as motivating factors. Thank goodness, then, for companies like Ford and BMW and several others that still cater for the stick-shift-loving driving enthusiasts of the world.And kudos to companies like Ford and Koenigsegg, who are not only giving us the manual option, but innovative ones at that. The manual gearbox still has some life in it after all, and the automotive world is all the better for it.