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The great thing about Fairlane's new GT/A automatic is it can stop being automatic.

Comes a time in the life of every manual shift when you wish you had an automatic transmission. Comes also a time in the life of every automatic transmission when you wish you had a manual shift.

What a perfect time to spring the new Fairlane GT/A Sportshift.

This Fairlane option gives you the option of automatic convenience or manual fun. It also gives you a 335-horsepower V-8, which lifts it out of the Amusing Gadget class fast.

Under the GT/A's console mounted T-handle selector is a quadrant reading "P-R-N-D-2-1." Through P-R-N-D part it's pure automatic. Makes all the shifting decisions for you. But flick into 1 or 2 and it's your move. You decide how long to hold it and when to shift. Here in one fell swoop is manual gearbox flexibility with the ease of automatic drive only a shift away.

What you can accomplish with a 390-cubic-inch hydraulic lifter V-8 harnessed to this GT/A setup - and packed into Fairlane's trim dimensions-is something you'll have to work out with your imagination.

Progress, it's wonderful . Sportshift, it's unbelievable -until you try it.