The point is that the people who will want one of these usually want to shift their own gears
I totally disagree. In the late 90's and early 2000's, you could have said people who want a Z28 or Trans Am would want to shift gears...those who want automatics are more likely to get the V6 models or just not get that kind of car...yet Automatic LS1 and LT1's drastically ousold manual models, even with the disadvantage of being 4 speeds compared to the manual 6 speeds.
The current HHR SS's I see on the lots are mostly automatics (and I have seen a few sold in my area).
The same argument applies to the Corvette as does the F-bodies I made above.
The only argument this doesn't apply to is the import tuners, but there is a very good reason for this...cars like the Civic, the old Celica GTS's, etc, just about HAD to have a manual for their sporty model..because the engines put in there had to be revved so high, a 4 speed auto (which was just about all that was available at the onset of the 4 cylinder tuner popularity rise) wouldn't work. But even now that is reversing. The truly sport compact models by the imports are going to automatic, or manumatic type transmissions. If the engine has the torque for it..or if more gears are offered in an automatic, automatics work just as well...and in some cases better than manuals....and now that those things are avaialbe for sporty 4 cylinder compacts, other manufacturers HAVE moved toward offering them. It has nothing to do with "people who want that type of car want to shift gears"...that was just the easy explanation for it. Here are just some examples...and this list is growing:
-New Suburu WRX, 4 speed automatic offered (the engine now has the torque for it)
-New Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, 6 speed dual clutch automatic (engine with about 200lbs/ft torque)
-New Mitsubishi eclipse, 5 speed auto much more popular in the automatic than the manual is in terms of sales
-Mini Cooper S, 6 speed auto available
-New 2009 Corrola and matrix XRS, 5 speed auto avaialable
-Volkswagon GTI, Clutchless manual with auto mode available
it is mostly the domestic brands that are once again late to the game bringing automatics to their small, sporty cars...the imports have taken the lead in this area. Many of the cars listed above have the automatic version outsell the manual version. It seems that GM is also holding onto that notion of "those who want this car will want to shift gears themself", while some of their competitors are mating automatics or cluthless manuals to their under $30,000 (and sometimes even between $20-$25k) compact cars and selling them.
I would be willing to bet..that if an automatic were offered in a couple and sedan Cobalt SS, that in terms of sales it would match or exceed the manual versions. The people who would buy the automatics may not be lurking on these (or other) message forums on the web...but history has shown us in the examples above...you get sales from automatics...ESPECIALLY if you give people a sporty car without a huge drop in fuel economy.
Sorry for the rant, but I had to get it out.
