[IIIseries]

Guys, I know you have had your fill of dumb questions, but here is another one. Does the gated shifter in the IS (in all cars actually) have any functional use? Or is it merely a style thing?

 

[mkaufman]

Gates help your accuracy on true manuals, and ensure you only shift one gear at a time on the IS. Look at the IS shifter. For "M-D" it's a straight line left-to-right. In "D" you can't come down at all. In "M", it's a straight line down to "3" but no further. To "2" requires a right to the stop then again a straight line down only to "2". And finally a right to "L".