re: Driving a manual

I have the last manual 5 series that was sold in the US, and it’s a thing of engineering beauty. If all manuals were like this I doubt they would have been phased out. An electromagnetic brake holds the car still for 3 seconds on any hill when the clutch is depressed, so there is no rolling either way...that, and the cruise control is some sort of wizard that allows you to shift through the gears and still be set on a speed. The throw is perfect, the clutch is perfect, and 2nd gets you to 60mph, 3rd to 90 or so...so you always know where to drop it and mash the gas. No turbos, no automatic shifts...means you put the pedal to the floor, going into a maneuver, with confidence like you simply can’t do in modern cars. I’m sure I freak people out on the interstate, at least the one time they see me.