3rd gear is pretty clever.
 

I dont know if anybody has already noticed this or not but i just realized today that 3rd gear lines up perfectly with the speed.

we all know that the top speed for 3rd gear is around 95 or 96 mph...and our engine can only go up 500 past redline....

and i realized that 1000 rpm in 3rd gear is 10 mph, 2000 rpm is 20 mph, 4000 rpm is 40 mph, 6000 rpm is 60 mph and so on...

it's a 6 speed manual by the way, i dont think the numbers match up so nicely for an automatic

this makes me revmatch much easier!

Also, most gears @ 3000 rpm will be: gear x 10 mph. For example 3rd gear at 3k rpm is 30 mph. 4th at 3k rpm will be 40 mph. 5th at 3k rpm will be 50.

I'm not sure what you're getting at, it isn't geared so that it lines up with speed like that, that's just a coincidence.

Third is certainly the magic gear, though, it's the gear that says "oh snap, rotaries can be quick!" when in the power band.

What do you make of the fact that 3k RPMs in sixth gear is 60 MPH? Forget the numerology, the gearing is about performance.

i actually dont think that it's a coincidence that the gearing matches up exactly with the speed

Your evidence for this position is...?

Actually, 9000 RPM in 3rd is exactly 95mph, assuming you're still running 225/45-18s. And for the S2s, its 89mph.

Why do you think they would actively make that a goal?

ive noticed 3rd gear seems to pull harder than 2nd, might just be physics of momentum

i don't know about ya'll, but i prefer 6th gear, around 9000rpm.

Yeah, 3rd gear can come at me bro

Didn't the FC also have it where 3rd gear matched the rpms? NYCGPS chime in please :)

I was talking about the revmatching that Jeff mentioned, as it works for most gears, I wasn't even talking about performance, LIKE THE OP. gee... Here, let me quote it for you:

The reverse gear to me is the clever one,. especially at 12.5 k RPMS, then it becomes a genius.

Please make a photoshop of this happening, it's been awhile since i've seen your work. haha

OP: My opinion is that it is just a coincidence, but a handy coincidence at that :)

Thats interesting... Years ago I has a VW jetta that was geared the same way. Except it was for 4th gear. Thats how I knew my speed because the speedometer had broken about halfway through my ownership.