Another GV advantage I can think of is the use of an intermediate gear (in a 727: 2½) with a street axle ratio to assure reaching max RPM in the traps, where 2nd gear is way too short and high gear would be not only too tall but too great an RPM drop. 727: 2½ shift to 3 only loses 11%, versus std. 727 2-3 shift loses 31%.