By Mike Quincy

Last Saturday, Consumer Reports played host to a teen driving event at its Auto Test Center in Colchester, Conn. The kicker was that the cars they learned on weren’t run-of-the-mill econoboxes. They were all classic cars, each fitted with manual transmissions.
Auto industry trade journals suggest that today’s teenagers are more interested in smart phones, iPads, and laptops than cars. The shift away from manuals can been seen in the dwindling availability of new cars equipped with manual transmissions. Hence, Hagerty Insurance—known for being one of the largest insurers of classic cars—runs clinics across the country focused on getting teens some wheel time with cars with actual clutches and sticks. And most of the cars they get for the events come from their customer’s classic rides.


And the best part was that Wayne Carini—star of the television show “Chasing Classic Cars”—stopped by to lend a hand. (See photo right. Watch Wayne talk Mustangs with Consumer Reports.)
Even with rain in the forecast, the event still drew a many intrepid car owners unafraid of what the weather or young, rookie drivers might do to their cars.




Here’s a rundown of some of the cars that braved the rain.

• 1964.5 Ford Mustang
• 1966 Ford Mustang GT Fastback
• 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
• 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda
• 1971 Jaguar E-Type
• Porsche 911 Carrera RS
• Two MGAs
• 1972 BMW 3.0 CSi

Several adults attending the event were teeming with jealousy. Paul Cullen, watching as his 16-year-old son Nick went from clutching the E-Type to the Camaro, said, “Man, I never got to drive machines like this when I was a kid.” Age, in this case, was certainly a factor, as the cutoff to be a part of the event was licensed/permitted drivers from 15 to 25. How enthused were the attendees? Well, one “student” actually drove from West Virginia to attend.
If you have a teen and this sounds like an instructive event, look for a Hagerty Driving Experience near you.
And by all means, “Save the Manuals!"