In the context of:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee
I skip-shift my 5-speed m/ts, usually 1-3-5 or 2-4-5. As a flatlander with a car that has abundant torque, I could do away with the extra two gearsets and save the weight and loss of transmission efficiency by having a nice 3-speed.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr
Depending on how wide is the gap between 2 random gears, there is virtually no advantage in getting a bigger amount of gears. Automakers are doing so because of some folks who buy a manual because it's either cheaper or the only option available for a certain model, but are too lazy to downshift when required  |
If there is a choice between only having gears 1 and 3 (say) and gears 1,2 and 3, where ratios 1 and 3 are the same, and 2 splits them, three gears will allow the engine to be operated closer to its highest efficiency than will two of them.