I came home and took two showers.  Still feels dirty.....  😎

Treason!

Which is the fun element and absolutely understandable in a street car.  If I end up with a classic 911 it will most likely be a manual.

PS: I read the "full spec" sheet for it, it has a 7,700 lb towing capacity - I guess I'll have to trade in the Mav for a Ranger....even though Ranger is "only" rated at 7,500 lb towing....

Heavy nostalgia element too for us old folks. 

Covid/chip shortage caused most of the price increases.  And even though it was developed as a stopgap there are no real compromises with the vehicle.  Two of my neighbors have them and absolutely love them.  They are real F150s with a different powertrain.

Yeah, and he has been pretty vocal about his displeasure with Ford as of late (for some if it, I get), which is why my first responses probably sounded harsh.

Manuals have no place in racing.  Paddles are significantly faster and keeps both hands on the wheel and eliminates the possibility of missing a gear or overrevving.  I love my PDK.  Manuals are just for fun.

Works fine with the vehicle voice control.

Turned out to be an Edsel moment.   My cynicism aside, I think the thing driving Ford during the Covid period was being the first on the block with a BEV, and why not electrify the number one vehicle in the US, and build  plants to be all BEV all the time? But they went at it using stale technology and the market pooped out before costs were amortized and the infrastructure half completed Meanwhile, the Chinese advanced the technology with components that they fabricate in country, leaving Ford and GM starved for chips and rare earths. I think they still have a 10-day sales mindset to a degree. Hopefully, the UEV genus will be the reset that Ford needs.