Back in 2020, Mercedes-Benz’s chief of R&D officially announced that the German luxury brand would “eliminate manual transmissions” as a cost-cutting measure. The decision wasn’t noteworthy for consumers in the U.S., as Mercedes stopped offering manual transmissions in the country in 2015. Now, Automobilwoche reports that Mercedes will officially put manual transmissions to rest in its global lineup by 2023.
Globally, Mercedes offers the A-Class, B-Class, and CLA-Class with a manual transmission. By 2023, these vehicles will no longer be available with a manual transmission. The outlet states that the automaker didn’t provide a reason for the decision. A spokesperson from the automaker told the outlet that customer demand is moving toward electrification. Because of that, it will gradually stop offering a manual transmission on the few vehicles that are available with the gearbox.
Manual transmissions have all but disappeared from the market. Recently, we’ve seen a resurgence of sporty cars with manual transmissions from Hyundai, Acura, Nissan, and Toyota, but on a whole, they’re disappearing quickly. With increased fuel economy regulations and the introduction of electrified powertrains, manual transmissions have become outdated.
For Mercedes, the decision to discontinue all manual transmissions by 2023 matches its future goals of moving even further upstream. Recently, reports indicated that Mercedes was looking to drop cheaper vehicles and focus on its Top End Vehicle segment, which includes the EQS, S-Class, G-Class, and AMG models. The German brand is also looking to come out with a new Mythos sub-brand with ultra-exclusive vehicles and expand its lineup of Maybach-branded cars. Manual transmissions don’t fit in for a brand that’s looking to double-down on opulent cars.
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Pictured: 2022 Mercedes-Benz A-Class