Not everyone is interested in preserving the manual transmission engine. Some would rather see it fade away. But in a somewhat strange decision, Dodge is only ignoring it for a little while. The automaker silently removed the manual transmission option for the Challenger SRT Hellcat. But it will return.

The claim comes from Road & Track, who reported that production of the Manual Hellcat stopped in November 2021. The hiatus would last through 2022, though they claim the option will return at some point in the future.

The removal wasn’t due to advancements in trends or anything. Dodge is making a new calibration system for manual transmission Challenger Hellcats, according to spokesperson Dave Elshoff (told to Motor Authority). So while they assured that the option would return, they could not provide an estimated time frame.

Manual or not, the 2022 Challenger will see some small changes compared to past models. This includes a Jailbreak option for specific trims and new exterior and interior color options.

Meanwhile, Dodge is also reviving their Direct Connection performance parts program. Started back in 1974, the program once offered factory-made parts for performance and muscle vehicles.

We didn’t expect to hear that automakers would still to this day be working on improvements to the manual transmission design. While still wildly popular, it certainly maintains an old school feeling that is often separate from modern advancements.