While we will vehemently admit that the art of heel & toe downshifting is going to way of the dinosaurs with the slow demise of manual transmissions, the technique is still a necessary evil when it comes to properly tracking or mastering a vehicle that you must row your own gears. The growing popularity of dual-clutch and automated manual gear boxes with flappy paddles, for the most part, doesn’t require any heel & toe action. Most of these “automated” transmissions will blip the throttle for you upon a downshift to precisely rev-match, in addition to some modern-day manual transmissions performing a down-shift throttle blip upon your gear selection. Those inclined to do a little manual foot action and shifting on their own gears in a manual fashion respect the skill and art that heel & toe downshifting -as it is no easy feat for most folks.
The video below is a quick rundown on how you can master a dying skill, one that permits track junkies with full manual transmissions to keep up with their automated-millisecond-shifting brethren. Hopefully this skill is something that we will get to pass down to the next few generations – if manufactures see the value of keeping us enthusiasts appeased with manual transmissions. That’s a whole other conversation for another day. Enjoy and learn!
Malcolm Hogan is the founder and editor of Automotive Addicts, a trusted voice in the automotive media world for over two decades. With 20+ years of hands-on experience covering the industry, Malcolm has built a reputation for delivering honest reviews, sharp insights, and in-depth coverage of everything from new car debuts to high-performance test drives. Passionate about the evolving car culture and staying ahead of the curve, Malcolm continues to lead Automotive Addicts as a go-to destination for enthusiasts and industry insiders alike.
