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While it’s true the gearbox is a wide ratio one, with longer gears than sporty small cars with lower power, you still need to shift more in this car.
To put in perspective, you’ll have to shift a BRZ or Miata way more often because of shorter gears, but the S58 requires way more gear changes than an N55, for example. I assume this to be the case for the B58 too, since those engines will have a lot of power in the low RPMs.
In the S58 you have to hunt for power in the right range, above 4k RPM.
So I don’t think the comparison with the Supra is apples to apples, to answer your question.
That’s not to say a BRZ or Miata will require more shifts still. Look at the Thottle House review of the M2 in 4th gear at low speeds. You’d be shifting to second there. Sometimes that’s 2 gear shifts down. Which is pretty fun.
I’ve never had a car that required first gear downshift, and the S58 does… it’s fun. The 1st gear is very short though.
As to the comment of “you’d have more fun banging through gears with an automatic”, I guess to each their own, but to me, 1 single gear change in a manual is more fun than 20 in a flappy paddle… pushing buttons is not changing gears, in my view.
And the old adage is true for the reviewer: if you are on the fence or compare manual vs auto, get the auto.
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