For generations, drivers have grown accustomed to the familiar letters and numbers on car gear sticks, quietly guiding movement, pause, and reverse. Manual transmissions display numbers and an “R” for reverse, while automatics show “P,” “R,” “N,” and “D,” with some adding “L” for low gear. Yet certain older vehicles also featured an “E”—a letter many younger drivers have never seen. Its presence sparked curiosity and questions about its meaning and disappearance. The “E” stood for “Economy,” a mode aimed at improving fuel efficiency. Engaging it adjusted shift points, encouraged earlier upshifts, and reduced engine speed, making driving calmer and...
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