RTFM

Unfortunately, manual cars are going to die out.

And, according to Auto Express, it may be by the end of the decade.

Although they do have some more positive news for those of us who would like to stick with stick.  Not that I could afford a Ferrari 12 Cilindre.

And I currently own an automatic.

According to the article, "In the first half of 2026, just 7.9 per cent of factory order enquiries submitted to Auto Express’ Buy a Car service concerned a car with a manual gearbox. This marks a significant decrease from a 14 per cent share in the same period in 2025, and 21 per cent in 2024."

Part of this is due to the lack of manual cars available.

I would be driving one if there was such a thing as a manual Volvo S60.

And, obviously, the rise of the electric vehicle is a strong contributor to the manual demise.

But, even if there are no new ones, there will still be millions of them on the road.  And those of us who can still drive them will find them cheaper.

And we'll be the only ones who can drive classics.

And there will be more stories like this one.

Three for the Price of One

Three different articles from the motoring Interwebs caught my eye today and since I can't be bothered making three posts, here they are in one handily sized container.

The first is from the BBC.

It involves a spiteful and presumably very jealous woman who shops as The Asda.  She has been caught on camera kicking and damaging a McLaren 570S.

Stupid cow.

Hopefully the pictures will be good enough to get her charged with criminal damage although I doubt if she will become as infamous and vilified as that cat woman.

Next up, how can you tell that someone is ashamed to admit that they vote Tory or Reform?

Easy, they say that all politicians are the same then go on to slag off The Labour Party

Auto Express's Mike Rutherford is very much in that camp.  In that article, he tries to deflect with a little anti-Trump rant but you would have to be Nigel Farage to say anything complimentary about the orange toddler.

Finally, from Autocar, a bit of nostalgia - remember The Beastie Boys?

They seem to have aged a bit.

They also started the craze of stealing VW badges.

Well it's back! 

Albeit for modern times.

Apparently, the modern badges incorporate the radar unit used by their ADAS systems.

This means that the car’s adaptive cruise control, speed limiter and lane assist will not function.

Maybe it's worth not having the Radar then?

Anyone know where you can buy an old VW badge to replace it?

Maybe the Beastie Boys fans were onto something after all.

Wow! - Unfunny pranks

Shortly after a 3-year old boy was thrown into a crocodile enclosure by a man with learning difficulties, voucher site Wowcher thought it  would be funny to send out a marketing email titled, "Snap up these deals quicker than a croc can catch a kid!"

The boy received critical injuries after being attacked by the reptiles.  He is no longer critical.

Wowcher had no choice but to apologise and stated that they were instigating an urgent review of their processes.

The BBC story is here.

Today's BBC story is more car related and shows the same lack of insight/common sense of two other companies.

Both indoor golf venue Golf Fang Liverpool, and car parking app Parc, decided to use fake parking tickets to advertise themselves.

I don't think that's very funny and neither did the Advertising Standards Authority, the ASA.

The ASA ruled the adverts, which were all wrapped in yellow and black plastic and placed on windscreens in Liverpool and Manchester, risked causing "unjustifiable distress".

I know if someone put one on my windscreen I would be very annoyed.  I'd probably report them to the ASA and also do what I do if I get electioneering letters from Reform and send them back where they came from with no stamp on the envelope.  Did you know Reform Wirral are based in Millbank in London?

Anyway, while looking for a suitable picture of a parking ticket I found this one:

Apparently Diggerland Theme Parks sell them in packs of 5 including the cellophane packaging so that you can prank people.

What lovely people must visit Diggerland.

And no - I have never ever received a parking ticket.

Topless Models

I've done a search.

Since I started my Blog, I've never used the word "topless" before.

And yet, I've definitely mentioned convertibles.

Including unintentional ones.

And more conventional ones:

But, apparently, they are on their way out.

BBC Business tell us that "over the past 20 years, sales of new open-tops have fallen by nearly 90%, from 109,171 in 2005 to just 11,484 last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders."

Their very interesting story is here.

They, like me, blame the rise of the SUV.

It has already seen off the Mondeo class of car, The Fiesta and the Focus.  And threatens the saloon and estate.

I mean, why enjoy the thrill of open-top motoring with the thrum of the engine and wind in your ears when you can sit in a huge box that isn't designed to go around corners properly?

The rise in popularity of Electric cars is also being blamed with only two electric convertibles currently on sale in the UK - the MG Cyberster (which does seem funky) and the Mini electric convertible (reviewed here by Carwow) which is coming over in VERY small numbers and costs £52,500!

The Cyberster is a bit more than that again.

Even non-electric convertibles are relatively few and far between - our American cousins seem to have a bit more choice.

But overall (or not overall because they don't have a roof) - it's looking bleak for those that enjoy a bit of topless fun.

Chatanooga Ooh Ooh

Our local council use to put on a free firework display on bonfire night before the Tories cut the budgets to help out the bankers.

Looks like the good people of Chatanooga got their own free display last week.

The BBC have the story and video here.