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Shifty Eyed...

I read/watched this:

http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20150611-the-joys-of-the-manual-transmission

Now, I'm a bit (just a bit) of a car guy. I like cars, and I love driving. I like cars that look good, and I love cars that drive well. And by well what I mean is, engaging. I want a car that feels connected both to me and to the road. I want a car that feels like an extension of my own body and reacts to inputs from my hands, feet, and brain. And I want a car that does it all with out me really having to try hard.

I'm not just talking about acceleration - although that's important. I want to be able to step on the gas and have it GO. I hate mushy, unresponsive throttles, or transmissions that hunt around for the right gear. Which is why I prefer a stick shift. I get to tell the car what gear. I can shift when I like - if I like. Because ultimately, driving is all about the sensation of control - I go where I like, when I like, as quickly as I like. Having a stick shift/clutch allows for a greater sense of control and freedom, as well as being generally much more fun to drive.

When I bought my current car, what won me over was price and fuel economy (on our recent trip to Texas we did as well as 36 miles per gallon). But what made me love the car (I still do!) was the feel of the drive - something hard to quantify, and surely very subjective, but also very real.
Here we are at the Redwoods - a little more than a year ago...


 And this was just a couple of weeks ago.

It's not a big car. It's not even particularly fast, compared to other sports cars. But it is extremely responsive and GRIPS the corners like nothing I've ever driven. It's a blast, and I love driving it - anytime, anywhere.

Plus, it's TARDIS blue, so you gotta love that! :)

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