re: Driving a manual

Both. With the advent of streetable single and double plate sequential boxes and even wicked fast torque converter trannies in performance cars, the last bastion of three pedal usefulness evaporated. You don't even see them often in stripped econoboxes.

While there is nothing quite as satisfying behind the wheel (save road head) as linking several perfect heel-toe downshifts the truth is a three pedal car is slower in almost every situation. You simply will not find a manual clutch in any racing series that allows a sequential dog box of any sort.