Abstract: A transmission shift lever assembly has a manually operated shift lever that can be moved in a longitudinal direction and in a transverse direction. The shift lever operates upon transmitting elements in order to transmit information to the vehicle gearbox or a gearbox control corresponding to the movement of the lever. The shift lever is coupled to a retainer, and a plurality of arms form four-bar linkages which couple the retainer to housing members so that the lever pivots about a virtual pivot axis which is repositioned remote from the lever, and so that the shift lever moves with little tilting motion.