[geeks] crash tests

[Sridhar Ayengar]

Dan Sikorski wrote:
>> I'm positive that the transmission is a big enough change, not sure 
>> about brakes and axels, but it may be possible. In the past, some 
>> foreign car makers only imported the automatic transmission version of 
>> a car the first year, though the stick was available in Europe... I'm 
>> thinking this was the gas with the BMW Z4, and maybe the Mazda Miata, 
>> but I could be way off...
> 
> Maybe Miata, but not Z4.  2003 was the first year for the Z4, and it was 
> definitely available with three transmission options:  manual, automatic 
> or SMG.  The 2003-2008 Z4's were made in South Carolina, production 
> moved to Germany for the 2009 model year.

I've seen manual Miatas on dealer lots.

However, my Audi A8 Quattro is available in Europe with a stick, and 
only with automatic here.  A popular change to A8s here is, when a 
transmission goes bad, instead of replacing it with another automatic, 
get the manual parts from a supplier in Europe.

Peace...  Sridhar