What’s the Best Shifter You’ve Experienced?
This week’s question in Hagerty’s Our Two Cents series is a feel-good affair all the way around. Many (all?) of us have enjoyed the mechanical, analog thrill of shifting a manual transmission, or maybe a direct sequential gearbox, with those mechanically perfect aluminum paddles found behind the tiller of a modern Ferrari. But a feel-good affair isn’t exclusive to exotics—quite the contrary, in fact!
I enjoy the heft of that Hurst shifter in a 5.0 Mustang, I revel in the excitement of a Pistol Grip in an E-body Mopar, and I never tire of Honda’s shifters back in the 1990s. But there could be more to this question, if you take a pause for the cause. That cause is the automatic transmission. Here are three examples of amazing autobox shifters, from newest to oldest.
That’s right, some automatics tell your fortune are controlled by crystal balls. This design by Genesis is admittedly a little cheesey, but these days, that added drama is what helps differentiate luxury cars from their (surprisingly luxurious) sister ships with cheaper asking prices. I know that tech-intensive vehicles aren’t what we normally think about ’round these parts of the automotive internet, so how about that cool AutoStick from Chrysler?
Then again, Chrysler automatics from this era might not bring up pleasant memories for some folks. But Autostick Chrysler LH cars were still a lot of fun when new. They personify the phrase “fun while it lasted.”
So let’s get to our final example, one that I hope will warm hearts and get y’all’s keyboards in gear for some long-distance typing. Because if there’s a king in the world of automatic shifters, well, it has to be the next one.
Hurst Lightning Rods are one of the coolest automatic shifters ever made. The three levers certainly look impressive, but seeing them in action is a whole ‘nother story. This has to be the best shifter of all time.
Or not? You tell us, Hagerty Community! What’s the best shifter you have experienced?
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Mazda Miata by far – I’ve had two – 1991 and 2006. Best shifting experience on the planet.
Best automatic – 69 Camaro “horseshoe style” console shifter. Because it was cool.
All of my Mazdas, Miata, Mazdaspeed3, Mazda3 SGT, have had wonderful manual shifters.
Undoubtedly it was a full freshly frame off restored 1956 MG MGA. Well oiled rifle bolt action starts to describe how delightfully engaging and direct the shifts were. Super short throw for something of the vintage and very well placed. The rest of the car drove like a fast tractor, but the MGA shifter is the high point in feel that many people aspire to achieve with after market parts.
Honorable mention, I’m also a huge fan of a good truck shifter, my 1988 Jeep Comanche had the not loved Peugeot BA10/5 transmission. Even though it was a totally inappropriate transmission to put in a truck, it was beautifully smooth and slid into gear with a perfect click.
I enjoyed the 59 MGA I had for everything a vintage sports car should feel like when driven on the few twisty local roads we have around here. Drifting around sharp curves with a confident feel of control that I would not try to duplicate with my Corvette. As I recall, the shifter did have a good solid and accurate feel for that type of driving, but for short fast drag racing type driving I would vote for the good old school Hurst shifters.
After coming years of 50’s and 60’s 3 on the tree and 4 on the floor my favorite was a BMW 2002. Butter in a gear box
Most precise: BMW E30 318is with a short shift kit. Snick, sni k, snick.
Smoothest: 69 BMW 2002 with the early Porsche type synchros–not long lived if not babied but soooo smooth.
Most imprecise: Any Renault 4CV or Dauphine. Famously described by Tom Mc Cahill as “a pencil in a bowl of tapioca” but the easiest to do a soundless double clutch downshift into an unsynchronized first gear…
X
I have a Hurst Short Throw in my Shelby GT. It is the shortest shift pattern I ever shifted.
Drive like you want to break it.
My favorite was the shifter in the Acura Integra GSR. It was, to me, just perfect. I compare all other shifters to that one.
My favorite shifter was in my 1971 MGB. It was a very short shifter with a very short throw. You could shift it with just wrist movement. No need to get your arm involved. If you want to bang shift it you could do that to using arm and wrist movement.
1979’s Ford Escort Mk1 1600 GT.
The best overall was a Mitsubishi eclipse GS-t for my taste. My DatsunZ with a short shift kit has a nice mechanical feel.
The Worst 1986 SAab 900 turbo. Long throws, clunky and rubbery all at the same time. Actually most things about that car sucked.
Forget all those notchy gated shifters, t handle and multi stick shifters. Give me any MG MGB 1968 -1980 with synchros on all four gears. They have a beautiful gear lever , falls perfectly to your hand while driving , smooth as butter shifts and perfect gear ratios.
Best: All Hondas with non-cable shifters from the first gen Civic on; first gen Miata.
Good, not great: the cable shift 5 speed manual in my ‘95 Prelude. Its feel is too light, but it is precise.
Worst: first gen Nissan Sentra (sloppy rubber-band linkage with no gate feel at all)
Best shifters I had was the Hurst T handle in my 1973 Z28 Camaro. I also bought and installed an Indy shifter in my 1970 VW Bug. Also with a T handle. No more pushing down for reverse.
Honda Prelude. That 5 speed was super smooth, super accurate. Loved my ‘95 SHO, which I believe had a Mazda 5 speed in it. Maybe it was the clutch, but it didn’t shift that great. But I loved that car!