l have always dreamed of owning my own Lexus IS300.
Now, recently I've been looking at buying an IS350, but am
disappointed with the non-manual option, although it is standard with the ''Shiftable Automatic''? I've been having a hard time with getting a clear answer. Can anyone help me out?
Thanks a ton : ).
-Jon

It is mostly an automatic. But, you can put it in a type of manual mode that does not have a clutch. It is actually pretty cool. l had that in my 06 Audi A4 and it feels like a manual. Some cars wo not shift out of the gear until you do, some cars will. Check it out before you buy.

Most mid to high end cars has them. Is pretty nice to have some that gives you the best of both worlds. Is like having a Manual with the advantage of not having to deal with a clutch or even a gear clash. So stalling the engine is pretty much gone. This is not new technology, just got more refined.

The previous posters had that pretty much down right.

l want to add, my wife has an 07 VW Beetle with a Tiptronic. Is pretty much the same, it has 3 modes. First, is for 6 speed auto trans. Second, is a sport mode of 5 gears that holds the shift points to 3,500 rpms & keeps the drag like a regular clutch will do. Third, is a semi automatic. Just shift the + to go up & - to go down. You forgot to shift up or down? The car will do it for you.

Back in the 70s Dodge had on the Dart Swinger an electric tranny with push buttons. Used a lot on drag racing, u can not outshift an auto transmission. VW had a mix of a Manual Transmission with a Torque converter like a Automatic. It was called Automatic Stickshift or was stamped on the back of the Beetle on the engine door Automatic. It was a 3 speed (2nd 3rd & 4th) from the manual & u had to shift it without u pressing a clutch, a solenoid did it for u when u moved the shifter through the gears. l had a 72 Beetle with one of those transmissions.

Ferrari was also involved on those types of trannies back in the 80's. Ford had a Mercury Cyclone with a Semi Automatic if u see a code V in the VIN number. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Cyclone

Good luck.

its maniel mode.

This is also known as Tiptronic.

It is when u can choose when to change gears with an automatic car.

You switch from D(Drive) to M(Manual)
D & M r next to each other.
From M, u push the shift knob up to shift up & down to shift down.
The down shifting is delayed & sometimes does not work.
It usually down shifts automatically for you.
If u stop or slow down from 50mph, it will automtically change to 1st or 2nd gear.
And u do not have to worry about stalling.
There is no clutch.
But it is still slower, less reliable, & heavier than a Manual car.

Almost all cars made after 2000 offer this now.
Except for the really cheap cars for $10,000-13,000 new.

with the amazing lexus technology, it comes with a sequential shift transmission, which means you can choose between automatic and manual. it is not the old fashion manual, but it is still pretty cool. This way you do not have to worry about a clutch pedal. good choice if you buy one though. those things look awesome, and i'm sure they drive even better that they look.