Mini halts production of manual transmission cars

UPDATE: The manual isn't dead, but you might have to wait

A spokesperson for Mini Australia has confirmed the transmission will be making a return.

"The six-speed manual transmission has not been deleted from our product offer, however clients wanting to order a vehicle with this specification will be looking at a production date early next year," the spokesperson told Wheels.

"We expect the situation to improve by early next year, possibly sooner."

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Mini has stopped manufacturing vehicles with a manual transmission, citing supply-chain issues as the reason for the decision.

Mini says it has removed manual cars from sale to “ensure production stability,” according to the UK’s Autocar, but has yet to confirm whether this will be a temporary or permanent fixture.

The report says the global semiconductor shortage, coupled with supply issues caused by the Ukraine conflict, forced the company to consolidate its line-up.

While the majority of its competitors have reduced the option for a manual transmission to performance cars, Mini was one of the few to offer three pedals across its range.

In Australia, Mini offers roughly 43 vehicles with an automatic, with around 27 variants available with a clutch.

“Current circumstances, including the war in Ukraine and semiconductor shortages, are causing supply chain restrictions across the global automotive industry,” a spokesperson for Mini told Autocar.

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“In order to secure maximum production output to meet increasing customer demand, our product offer needs to be simplified.

“This solution is the most effective way to ensure production stability so that we can continue to supply all our customers with new Minis.”

The company’s fully-electric Mini SE is one of the few hatchback models only available with an automatic, and it could be a sign of things to come, with the British brand set to drop petrol and diesel engines by 2030.