If you drive car or truck with a manual transmission, it’s probably safe to assume you’re someone who enjoys having control over the gear changes and being more at one with your driving experience. Most manual transmission owners will tell you they “know how” to drive their vehicle with little effort and minimal mistakes. Unfortunately, most people do not know how to properly shift a manual transmission. Now, let us take a lesson from Steve McQueen AKA “King Of The Double-Clutch”. Mastering the Double-Clutch will result in a smoother driving experience, lessen the wear on your transmission, clutch, and the synchromeshes or synchronizers found in our newer vehicles.

Double-Clutching or “Matching Revs” is typically done only in downshifts. Double-Clutching into the upshifts is thought by most to be unnecessary and considered showboating. But, who doesn’t like to showboat every now and then. One of the greatest examples of Double-Clutching can be seen in Steve McQueen’s driving of The 1968 Mustang Fastback in the movie Bullitt. If you pay close attention you can hear McQueen bumping the throttle between every shift in both the upshifts and downshifts. Here’s how it’s done:

Double-Clutch During The Upshift

• Release the throttle, press the clutch, and shift into neutral.
• Let out the clutch.
• Tap the throttle thus allowing the engine rev
• Press the clutch
• Upshift into your next gear (simultaneously, the engine RPMs will decrease thus matching the transmission’s speed – Matching Revs)
• Let out the clutch
• Press the throttle

Double-Clutch During The Downshift

• Release the throttle, press the clutch, and shift into neutral.
• Let out the clutch.
• Tap the throttle thus allowing the engine rev
• Press the clutch
• Downshift into your lower gear (simultaneously, the engine RPMs will decrease thus matching the transmission’s speed – Matching Revs)
• Let out the clutch

Once mastered, the above steps should only take a fraction of a second and become second nature. Apart from a bettered driving experience and lessened wear on your transmission, you will better understand a discipline held sacred by race car drivers and of course – Steve McQueen.