WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT
A MANUAL TRANSMISSION?
True sports cars have long been defined
by engine performance, handling agility
and the ability to connect the driver to
the road. For decades, sports car purists
considered a manual transmission a must.
Providing a purely mechanical, direct and
visceral link to the control over the car’s
power delivery, a manual transmission
creates a unique melding of human
and machine. Automatics were seen as
detracting from the connections among
car, road and driver.
M
anual transmissions once also offered
tangible benefits in performance and
fuel economy over automatics. Recent
developments in automatic transmission
technology have in some cases flipped
that equation, and automatics have
become more engaging to drive, as well.
They’ve got more gears and paddle
shifters on the steering wheel, just like in
a Formula 1 racecar.
why drive a sports car
with a stick shift?
Because it’s a lot of fun, especially when
the sports car is a 2016 Jaguar F-TYPE.
To the driving enthusiast, every well
executed shift with a manual transmission
brings a sense of accomplishment
and reward. The manual transmission
stimulates other senses, too. If you think
the F-TYPE engine sounds wicked with
the automatic cracking off lightningquick shifts, wait until you master your
own ultra-quick shifts with the manual.
But, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
If you’ve long been an adherent of
manual transmissions, please pass this
booklet on to a friend who has not.
Consider that your good deed for
the day.