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It's the ultimate skill for increasing performance on manual cars, while feeling like a professional racing driver.
The automatic transmission has been slowly pushing manual transmission out of the picture. In recent years, the former has actually become so prevalent that many have announced "the death of manual transmission." But here we are in 2022, and many car manufacturers still offer good old manuals. Some are even making an entire marketing thing of it (go, Toyota!).
Although automatic transmission has made lives easier by eliminating the clutch, some would say it also killed a part of the driving spirit. There's indeed a special feeling surrounding the entire act of hitting the pedal and operating the knob, almost making you feel like you're at the track while you're actually speeding up to pick up your groceries.
Of course, this can't measure up to the feeling and the level of skill that racing drivers have when taking their manual-transmission rides to the track. Racers do things differently, that's for sure. It's enough to see them make lightning-fast gear shifts to conclude this. But anyone driving a manual and wanting to come a little closer to a racing-like experience can try one shifting method all racers use.
If you've never heard about the heel & toe shifting, or you've always thought you would never be able to master it, read on. We cover everything there is to know about this driving technique and provide tips for getting the hang of it. RELATED: Here's Why A Stick-Shift Next-Gen Ford Mustang Is The Need Of The Hour
As mentioned, heel and toe shifting is a driving technique that many racing drivers use worldwide. It involves downshifting that's so smoothly the act is almost artistic. Professional drivers use it to achieve greater success on the track, along with the double-declutching technique. Some of the most successful figures in the heel-toe method are Ayrton Senna, the Formula 1 driver, and Sebastian Loeb, the nine-time WRC champion.
The heel and toe shifting has been around for a long time, actually. The pre-war (WWII) cars sported pedals in unusual positions. While the clutch remained left, the accelerator pedal was in the middle, and the brake was to the right. This allowed drivers to use the right foot to accelerate and brake simultaneously. Such action led drivers to maintain engine revs even while braking, which means they could shift to a lower gear without losing the revs.
Basically, this is the entire purpose of the heel and toe technique even today, although the accelerator and the brake pedals switched positions.
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The heel and toe technique is not really necessary in daily driving, which is why not many people have heard about it. Motorsports professionals use it the most to increase their performance when racing. So, those learning the heel-and-toe shifting are usually preparing for racing or doing it for the thrill of it — which we think is totally worth it.
The technique is truly fancy, and it has a lot of benefits, but let's start with the basics. Everybody knows that braking when in corners leads to the car slowing down and engine speed dropping. Because of the slower speed, you need to shift into a lower gear, which causes some extra speed loss. Once you finally release the clutch, you hear that awful sound of the engine trying to catch up. All in all, not a particularly exciting experience.
The heel and toe shifting aims to fix this by balancing the engine and road speed to ensure smooth acceleration in corners. It achieves that by maintaining engine speed while braking, so you can downshift without losing a grip. In fact, the heel and toe driving technique reduces stress on the driveline, prevents forward weight transfer, lowers the chances of wheel lock, allows smooth shifts before entering a corner, and ensures quicker acceleration afterward. It's no wonder so many racers use it.
But how do you master heel & toe shifting for your own satisfaction? It's actually easier than it sounds, although it requires a lot of practice (off the track, of course). The process goes like this.
You place your right foot across the accelerator and then move your toe to the brake, simultaneously covering both pedals. In the next step, press the brake pedal with the ball of your foot while depressing the clutch. Then, roll your ankle on the right foot and, while still holding the brake, press or "blip" the accelerator pedal to raise the revs. Once you achieve the desired revs, you can let the clutch out as usual.
There you have it, a simple yet practice-demanding process of the heel and toe technique. Our pro-tip here is to match the pedals for success. The brake and the accelerator need to be of the same height and appropriate distance, so you can operate them with only one foot. Some cars allow for pedal adjustments, but not all of them, so you may have a few difficulties setting everything up.
Suzana Mijatović is a Literary Critic secretly in love with all things automotive. You'll find her either reading Dostoevsky or under the hood, changing the transmission fluid and oil filters. She has a long experience in writing about car parts and automotive products, from brakes to seat cushions. Suzana is also an amateur poet and photographer.