Spanning some 20 years:

Note the McPherson struts at the front.

Interestingly enough, VW started to make the Passat in Brazil at the same time in 74. Yet, yes, the #3, or TL as it was locally known, survived for only a couple of other years due to slow sales. But the station-wagon variant, the Variant, went on in production till the 80's with several modifications.

I liked the Brazilian version better.

Yeah, but only if bad taste kills.

I agree with you, but that's the reason why I loath manuals: the clutch pedal. I've driven manuals for about a decade since I learned to drive. But I lived in an extremely congested hilly city, when driving to and back from work became a tiresome exercise in patience and led to a burning thigh muscle.

There are many low-technology ways to overcome that, usually by exploiting weak links, especially the weakest of them all: people.

You can do that on an automatic too, especially if it has paddles or a gated shifter. But I wouldn't say that was the best reason in favor of manuals, but the fact that it allows better speed control because of the mechanical link between the wheels and the engine. Then again, that's what a dual-clutch does allows…

Don't delude yourself. The average German driver cannot handle the Autobahn either. I've been stuck behind old hatchbacks going at 70MPH on the left lane on an Autobahn without speed limit. And when I finally passed him ON A FOCUS, he gave me the finger.

That's poppycock! I drove on the Autobahn and they're not unlike an interstate. As a matter of fact, the interstates have typically fewer curves.

So your "smart" neighbor paid to have an outlet installed that he doesn't use for a car that's still expensive after subsidies whose interior won't last 3 years. Way to go! NOT.

No, 5MPH is the assumed latitude.

NIssan Versa, AKA Renault Clio. And they didn't even bother to hide its original hideousness.

Let the manuals die in a fiery death. I'll side with the veteran F1 and Le Mans winner, Jacky Ickx, who prefers automated transmissions.

Ah, the Astra Coupe as a Buick, because it was a smashing success as a Saturn!

The return of leasing is indeed great news! I just love to snatch those low-mileage rides still under warranty for half the price new.