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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‘69 Triumph GT-6 short smooth precise click,click,click
Over the years I’ve had many good and interesting shifters from push button automatic in my 63 dodge , Hurst shifter in mustangs and gto,s . The best to date in in my s197 mustang. I replaced the factory sloppy one with a Barton flat stick. I don’t know how popular these are, they are made in a machine shop in upstate New York ( not china). It is not the shortest throw but the action is so precise, it just clicks in and out of gear.
Gonna throw an odd one in: the 6 speed manual Kia Forte. Shifts every bit as nicely as any Honda I ever drove, and (sorry, MG fans) way slicker than my MG. Another surprise, had a Caravan with a manual which was wonderful (admittedly its competition was a VW Bus.)
Fun question! I love my ‘06 Solstice shifter with the short throw modification from DDM works. But, truly, the most fun I’ve had was driving a 3 ton GMC with a 10spd split axle shift and a 350V8. Hitting that red button in between shifts and revving through 10 gears with a full load, what a rush!
MGW short throw teamed with a Tremec T45 in my 1998 Mustang Cobra. MGW stands for machine gun works,
lock and load! Also Ford Performance shifter set in a 2014 GT. Barton manufactured. really helps the Gertag MT82 tranny…
I love the Hurst Shifters, but have to say the aftermarket “Mr. Gasket” shifter was a quicker shift. It felt just as good as the Hurst, with a much shorter throw. If I had not kept my car original with the Hurst, I would have gone with the Mr. Gasket.
The Mr Gasket Vertigate (short for vertical gate) 4-speed shifter that we used in our NHRA K/S ’66 Chevy ll was the best in my experience. Starting in the up position (1st gear) and straight back for second, third gear was straight forward (no sideways movement) and fourth gear was straight back. Tried different shifters but the Vertigate worked best for us. We set the K/Stock record at 12.65 seconds in 1977. Not a bad elapsed time for the day.
1986 Suzuki Samurai with an oil soaked shift bushing! Oh, wait this was best shifter. Mazda Miata by far.
Hate to be the oddball but for me it is my high mileage 2006 harly v-rod
Maybe my experience with cars is a little “pedestrian”, but I encountered the smoothest shifting manual transmission in the early-mid 1990s. I was in college, and my ride at the time was a 4-speed 1976 BMW 2002 quickly closing in on the twenty year mark. That’s not my smooth-shifting nominee.
That belongs to my friend’s 1993 Mazda Protégé.
One night I was called into duty to drive his tipsy self home. Driving around town at 2 am in search of greasy food, I marveled at the butter-smooth 5 speed Mazda transmission. While the 2002’s transmission was spot-on, another fifteen years of engineering advances at Mazda led to a very smooth and enjoyable one-off late night drive. I’ve seen several Miata mentions, but the Protegé was mighty fine in its own right.
Haven’t rowed alot but my S2000 is the best I’ve owned