The transmission was excellent in automatic mode, and manual shift is still accessible by pulling the center console-mounted gear selector to the left.

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This gearbox includes a sport mode for slightly more aggressive shift points, along with a manual shift mode, which in the Supercharged version can be engaged via either the gear selector or steering wheel-mounted paddles.

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In part, that's due to the six-speed manual's vague shift gate, which demands rather deliberate shifting into second and third.

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The new automatic gearbox will also blip the throttle on downshifts (in manual mode), reducing shift shock that can unsettle the car in hard cornering.

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The rise in urban living, the shift away from manual labour, the increase in car use and the availability of cheap energy-dense food are among many factors behind the increase.

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While the degree of control still isn't as precise as a manual transmission, just changing the shift points can make a vehicle feel like it's suddenly grown a much bigger engine.

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The sedan, with its automatic shift, was more fun than the manual, and was my preferred ride.

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We've seen this before: Cars like the Ferrari 575M on our list have clutchless manual gearboxes, derived from Formula 1-style systems, that let you shift via paddles that frame the steering wheel (pull the left paddle for downshifts, the right for upshifts).

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