Cadillac surprised the blogosphere in January by revealing that the upcoming race-bred CT5-V can be optioned with a third pedal. Now, the American luxury icon is revealing the rest of the story behind the CT4-V and CT5-V in a livestreamed introduction every manual transmission enthusiast must see.
Building a bona-fide muscle sedan and boldly equipping it with a real manual transmission makes a case for Cadillac’s uniqueness in a market saturated with crossovers pretending to be coupes. Though the brand is fast headed to an all-electric lineup, the V-Series Blackwing models give enthusiasts one last chance to enjoy the command of three pedals.
Sign up for the live reveal with one click by heading to Cadillac’s Twitter post, and show GM that manual transmission enthusiasts will show up when manufacturers show up for us!
The Honda N-One keeps its retro styling intact, but it’s all-new under the sheetmetal. The most exciting part of this refresh is the turbocharged RS trim, featuring a six-speed manual transmission!
In case you’re unfamiliar, Honda’s N line includes four retro-themed models: the N-One, N-Box, N-Van, and N-Wagon. The “N” stands for “Nippon,” which is actually how you say Japan in Japanese. All models feature retro styling inspired by the Honda N-360 hatchback from way back in 1967. Think of them as a new take on Nissan’s Pike Cars of the early 90s. Japan just can’t get enough of these neo-retro cars.
If the N-One isn’t your thing, then get yourself an original N360 like this and clean it up!
Despite the retro styling, the N-One hatchback can be optioned with the latest tech features from Honda, and is one of the first kei cars to feature LED daytime running lamps. Additional options include in-car navigation, full-automatic air conditioning, adaptive cruise control, Honda Sensing parking aids and more. At just 3.4 meters (~11.2ft) long, it really packs a ton of features in a small package.
The new N-One hatchback will be available in three grades; Original, Premium Tourer, and RS. The sporty RS trim features a 64hp turbo engine, up from 57 hp in the regular version. This is mated to a refined version of the S660 roadster’s six-speed manual transmission. To further the Honda lineage, an S2000-inspired leather-wrapped shift knob is also included in the package. Power is delivered to the front wheels, adding to the already impressive lineage of fun FWD cars from Honda. All of that comes together to make a nice little hot hatch with just enough sporty touches to keep you smiling from town to touge.
Although kei cars are unlikely to find themselves in other markets, we’re glad to know that tiny hot hatches are still well and alive in the JDM world. If you’re lucky enough to be in Japan, then take advantage of Honda’s amazing offerings like this and the S660 Roadster. We love to see a company keeping sporty manual cars alive, and we look forward to more great drivers’ cars from Honda in the next decade.
@DownTheDori takes pictures of weird and interesting cars found on the streets of Japan. Follow @downthedori on Instagram to see what’s happening on the streets of Japan.
It’s hard to believe that the new Suzuki Jimny has already been on the market for over two years, but it still hasn’t traversed the entire globe yet. The Indian joint venture Maruti-Suzuki is playing a key role in spreading Jimny joy across the globe, and yes, that includes three-pedal joy as well!
Maruti Suzuki has now begun manufacturing the Suzuki Jimny at their factory in India. Oddly enough, the new Jimny has not been released on the Indian market yet. Despite that, it’s being exported from India to foreign markets such as Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. The first shipment is headed for Latin America, and there should be some manual transmissions on that boat.
The Jimny has enjoyed positive reviews from journalists across the globe, even from some North American journalists who long for the Suzuki Samurai’s successor to come back. It won the World Urban Car award in 2019, as announced at the New York International Auto Show that year. For those who haven’t seen it, the new Jimny is a refreshingly simple and capable off-roader. In Japan, the Jimny is offered with a kei-class 660cc 3cylinder engine, as it has been for over 30 years. There is also the Jimny Sierra, with a 1.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine. The larger engine is the only option for export models being produced in India. Both engines are available with automatic and manual transmissions.
Despite dwindling sales for manual transmissions globally, takeup is still quite high in many countries that the new Jimny is being exported to. We applaud Maruti-Suzuki for providing the world with simple, capable, and engaging driving experiences into the 2020’s. You can read more about Jimny production at Maruti-Suzuki’s Website.
@DownTheDori takes pictures of weird and interesting cars found on the streets of Japan. Follow @downthedori on Instagram to see what’s happening on the streets of Japan.
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