For transverse-mounted setups, cables are very common. Honda liked to use mechanical linkage for a long time, but even they have now switched to cables, much easier to route, etc. Same reason throttle pedals went from mechanical linkage to cables as well (before going DBW now of course). This includes most FF, MR and RR setups and some AWD setups. There are exceptions to all of this of course.
For RWD setups that don't use a rear transaxle, the shifter is usually either mounted right into the extension housing on the rear of the transmission case (especially on older cars which commonly had a shifter that came out of the console/floor much further forward and sloped back towards the driver), or it is remotely-mounted with a tripod or similar shifter extension. These setups are more common now that the more typical shifter setup is to have the shifter itself more vertical, and you move it along that plane.
The remote extension shifter is what most current non-truck setups seem to be employing, and the TL70/AZ6 in the Zx6 is no exception.
Here's a diagram from the 1993 JZA80 Supra NCF book illustrating the difference in shifters between the older and newer transmissions. It sort of helps illustrate the 2 common RWD shifter setups, with (especially from Toyota/Lexus), the "New" one being much more common now.
Jeff