What do the letters on a manual transmission represent?

[RicardoDella]

The letters on a manual transmission represent: N stands for Neutral; R stands for Reverse. After shifting into R gear, the car can move backward. When in N gear, the output shaft of the transmission connected to the clutch also has no power. Automatic transmissions also have N and R gears, and additionally feature a P gear. Both P and N gears can be used when parking. The N gear can be used for short stops without turning off the engine, while the P gear is used when parking and turning off the engine. There is no locking mechanism in N gear, so the car can move if the parking brake is not applied when in N gear. P gear has a locking mechanism, preventing the car from moving without applying the parking brake when in P gear.