of fifth gear
The spread of these reports must be read in the context of the automotive industry of the 1970s and 1980s.
After the oil crises, reducing fuel consumption became an increasingly important priority for manufacturers. One of the most immediate solutions was to add a longer top gear.
On some cars this gear was simply referred to as fifth, while on others the manufacturer preferred to use the letter E to underline its economic function .
Its presence on the knob also reminded the driver that that gear was
