So, even though no actual gears are being changed, using the paddle-shift modulates the torque to provide the jolts of acceleration and deceleration that would happen if there were a real gearbox.

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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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