Whenever you’re looking for Alfa Romeo cars for sale, we encourage you to visit our convenient location to see our inventory of Alfa Romeo vehicles. As you’ll see, we have a generous selection of the latest Alfa Romeo automobiles for you to choose from. When you have a question about one of our vehicles, we also invite you to visit or contact our Alfa Romeo dealership near Lexington, KY.

As Alfa Romeo dealers, we get asked a lot of automotive questions. One thing drivers are particularly curious about is the difference between manual and automatic transmissions. With that in mind, we thought it would be a good idea to explain how manual transmissions differ from their automatic counterparts.

Manual Transmissions

A manual transmission is one that requires drivers to physically shift a gear mechanism and use their clutch to change gears. This type of transmission is connected to the engine by a clutch. In general, manual transmissions have five or six forward gears and one that you can use to go in reverse.

Manual transmissions are extremely responsive and they’re renowned for being able to handle high-torque loads with ease. These transmissions are exceptionally reliable and they’re easy to maintain, service, and repair.

Automatic Transmissions

While shifting between gears in a vehicle with a manual transmission requires the use of a clutch and gear stick, shifting in a car with a fully automatic transmission is managed electronically. Automatic transmissions are hydraulic and easy to use. To shift gears, a motorist simply has to choose the gear he or she wants to be in and the transmission system handles the rest. Automatic transmissions do not have a clutch.

Automatic transmissions are significantly easier to use than manual transmissions because they require less physical involvement to switch gears. Many modern cars, such as the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio, have automatic transmissions as either standard or optional equipment. With the advancements that have been made in recent years, automatic transmissions are able to offer performance capabilities and fuel economy that rival those produced by manual transmissions.

If you want to learn more about the differences between a manual and automatic transmission, or you want more information about any of the Alfa Romeo vehicles we have for sale or lease, contact Jake Sweeney Alfa Romeo today.