The manual gearbox is a lot like the film Pulp Fiction, in some ways it is tremendous, it provides a feeling unlike anything else. However, nowadays, it just seems like some loony pipe dream. The old stick shift has been falling out of favor in the light of much more efficient and, in some ways, objectively better dual-clutch automatic transmissions. However, not everyone is excited to see it go, why else would there be the "save the manuals" movement? And why else would we be questioning if the follow-up to Lexus's iconic LFA be fitted with a manual gearbox?

A manual is the only way an LFA could be better

An automotive publication with clout like no other, TopGear got a chance to talk to Lexus President Koji Sato about the future of the LFA replacement.

Lexus is playing the exact specs close to the vest. All we know right now is that there is a supposed 435-mile range, and the sprint from 0-60 will take just a hair over 2 seconds. Plus the replacement officially called "Electrified Sports" will be fully electric and, unfortunately, not powered by a howling V-10.

The "manual 'box" would probably not be a physical transmission with real gears and a tactile shifter, but be programmed into the motor's power delivery and would simulate the feeling of shifting. Possibly like the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept.

Do we know what it will be like to drive?

We know some of the aspects of the car that can determine that. The reason that there may be a faux manual is to add driver engagement. Based on the published interview, Sato does not just want to win a numbers battle, he wants the car to be as fun and engaging as an EV can possibly be.

So, we know Lexus is pouring a lot of time and money into developing the 'steer-by-wire' system to make the car feel like it handles amazingly. There will also be torque vectoring, advanced aerodynamics, and a lack of weight to help it actually handle as well as we would all like it to. The aero will not just serve the purpose of reducing drag, but also controlling body movements. So, the body may have a real focus on generating some significant downforce.

The weight will be down to the battery, as with every EV. However, Toyota is a world leader in solid-state batteries, the kind in most EVs. As a result, if anyone can give the EV battery a good rethink and engineer their way to a truly engaging electric supercar, it would probably be Toyota.

Let's see if they fit an artificial exhaust to replicate the LFA's soundtrack.