If you drive a manual transmission enough, you begin to develop a rhythm. Downshifting into 1st as you approached the tight corners was easy and second nature with the Evo's lateral torque biasing system pushing the car through to the next straight. The familiarity with the shifter's H-pattern gates and clutch was comforting. The manual-equipped GSR was the first through our course. For the purpose of diversity, a pair of 2009 Porsche Cayman S models, with and without PDK (Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe), as well as a pair of 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo Balbonis, equipped with a gated 6-speed manual and 6-speed e.gear system, made cameos. Our subjects would be a pair of 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutionsthe GSR features a 5-speed manual gearbox, while the MR sports a 6-speed twin-clutch sequential gearbox called TC-SST (Twin Clutch Sport Shift Transmission) that can be actuated via steering wheel paddles or a center console-mounted shifter. The criteria would be simple: shift times, ease of operation and how well the system meets driver expectations over a short, but tight, autocross course. To find out, we rowed through these transmissions back to back and went into analysis mode. While these changes are supposed to increase driving enjoyment, we asked ourselves, which is betterpushing a clutch and manipulating a lever or pulling a paddle?

Cable throttle linkages are replaced with potentiometers and wires, steering is electronically boosted and transmissions shift for themselves. But lately, it seems like these connections are being reduced or even eliminated.

When you talk about the thrill of driving, it's hard to ignore its active elements: feathering the throttle, trail braking, turning the steering wheel into a gentle bend, or grabbing a clean heel-toe downshift, for example.

Better with mods gearbox