John Baker | Apr 22, 2016 9:06 AM Three on the tree. Four on the floor. The transmission has contributed much to our rich automotive vernacular. With few exceptions, however, the days of manually shifting are gone. Most cars and trucks come standard with automatic transmissions. Many sports cars, long the safe haven for manual-transmission purists, have even ditched sticks for paddle shifters. A flick of your finger has replaced the satisfying feeling of letting off the gas, depressing the clutch pedal and engaging the shifter in perfect harmony. More gears equals better fuel economy Though they may not deliver the visceral connection to your vehicle like a manual transmission, automatics’ increased gears and computerized controls, which shift more optimally than all but the most skilled drivers, do increase fuel efficiency by allowing the engine to spend more time in the “sweet spot.” The “sweet spot” is simply the engine speed, measured ...