Aston Martin CEO On Bringing Back the ManualAston MartinOutside of the most boutique supercar and hypercar makers, manual transmissions in the new performance cars are scarce. Sure, you can row your own in a Koenigsegg or Pagani, but Ferrari is the one who made a huge splash when it introduced a simulated manual transmission in the 12Cilindri Manuale. McLaren just hopped aboard the trend, too. The question remains, however: will other OEMs follow?During a media event at Monterey Car Week around the launch of the new Aston Martin Valen, Road & Track heard from Aston Martin CEO Adrian Hallmark about this very topic."I know that from our point of view, all of our manuals were based on the old vehicle architecture [and] electronics," Hallmark says. "The problem we have is not getting a manual gearbox; it's getting an electronic and modified system to be able to work with a manual box. Why? Because when you've got ADAS—because this car's got all the safety systems of a production car, if we put a manual in, you couldn't have the adaptive speed control and the anti-crash intervention. To take that out ... and to modify it is more cost[ly] than developing a new manual gearbox."Aston MartinThat doesn't sound too promising on the surface. Pairing ADAS features with a manual transmission is handled differently depending on the automaker; for example, a Honda Civic Type R comes exclusively with a six-speed stick, but it still offers adaptive cruise control, lane following, etc. On the other hand, adaptive cruise is completely off the table when it comes to BMW vehicles with manual transmissions.AdvertisementAdvertisementThere's a workaround here if you copy Ferrari's homework, though. Sure, the brand's newest system not a true manual transmission, but it's a whole lot cheaper, and still plays nice with required safety systems.The gated shifter in the Ferrari 12Cilindri ManualeFerrari"And then, when you look at how many cars you need to sell at what incremental price to offset the cost of the box and the electronics, it's a marginal case, which I guess is why Ferrari have done what they've done," Hallmark says. "So our dilemma: Do we do a fake manual? Or, don't go manual? So that's the problem."Unfortunately, Hallmark didn't elaborate on which side of the fence he's on, which leaves us in suspense for the time being. It's a slightly different answer than the one provided to us when we queried Lamborghini about the possibility of offering a manual transmission in the future; the Italian supercar maker shot down any chance of a vehicle with three pedals, citing the need to match what motorsports is guiding.The last Aston Martin with a manual transmission was the Vantage, and considering what an excellent sports car the new Vantage is, we sure wouldn't complain if a manual found its way into that model once again. In the meantime, we'll simply have to wait and see.You Might Also LikeIf You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State