Karl moves to the dark side. Have you already taken the plunge?
It happened at a press launch for a new car. It was a moment that was to change everything. After years and years of staunch defence, something clicked and I had to switch sides.
Progress, it seems, is inevitable. You either keep up, or you get left behind. Confused? Let me explain.
Walking to dinner after a press conference, one of the senior journalists in our group lamented that the Jaguar F-Type wasn’t a proper sports car “because it doesn’t have a manual gearbox.” And then it occurred to me – I had always jumped to the defence of manual cars, exalting them as the pinnacle of driving pleasure. Using paddles to shift, no matter how much quicker they are, just didn’t cut it in my eyes. But the words that next came out of my mouth betrayed my shift in feelings.
“So, the Ferrari 458 isn’t a proper sports car, then? What about the McLaren 12C?”
Damn it. I’ve just admitted it. Driving enjoyment isn’t solely dependent on a car’s gearbox.
If there’s any doubt, get behind the wheel of a 458 Italia. Or Speciale, if you can arrange that. The steering is sublime and so fast, the ride is excellent and the handling is just insane. Its throttle response is perfection and yes, that dual-clutch gearbox is simply one of the best on sale. Pulling on a paddle is like telepathy – it responds so fast to any command, it’s scarcely believable.
You don’t get much better driving than that. Which means that driving enjoyment can be sourced from all parts of the car. Yes, a manual car is very fun, but with the right set up a paddle-shift car can be just as fun – if not more so.
Here’s the thing: humans were never designed with driving in mind. Our body, though hugely capable, isn’t meant to be experiencing G-forces around corners or being ferried along at triple-digit speeds. So, with how fast the Ferrari is, your brain can only keep up with a certain amount of information flowing to it. It’s the reason why when you hop out of a car after a lengthy spirited drive, you feel worn out. That’s not from physical strain, but from an extensive mental workout.
So if cars are getting faster and more intense, surely the move to paddle shifts can only be a good thing. Take a leg movement out, keep your hands on the wheel – isn’t that safer? After all, heading into a corner, trying to execute a perfectly matched heel-and-toe downshift while braking, then taking your hand off the wheel to change gear – it’s not exactly the safest way of driving, is it? Especially when you stuff up the downshift. Because that will happen.
Please, don’t get me wrong, I like driving an old-school muscle car, blipping the throttle, feeling the gate of the gearbox and stepping off the clutch as much as the next millionaire who owns an AC Cobra. I just think that with progress comes improvement. A good dual-clutch gearbox (think Ferrari or Porsche) can be just as good as a manual.
Except because it’s quicker, you can go quicker. And I think, in a proper sports car, that’s the point.
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