2010? LOL....even if it were 2050, I'd still prefer to row my own gears. For the purist, it has nothing to do with the year...automatic transmissions have been around since just about forever, but I still don't want one on a sporty car. On an SUV, I'm perfectly content with a slushbox. Other than that, no thanks!

 

If your a classic purist ya.. I see your point. However, if speed is your real goal there's no reason to use the manual clutch on a car today which is why they don't... it's an extra unecessary time consuming and dangerous action.

 

on a race track, sure. That's why the GTR doesn't even come in a true manual b/c no one can shift faster than the computer. However, on the street, where I will NEVER be driving as fast as I possibly can, I still like the feel of a MT

 

If speed was my goal, I wouldn't have purchased a G37.

Why do you say a manual transmission is a "dangerous action"? I've been driving them for many years and have never found them to be dangerous at all.

 

You know I'd wager at least 7 out of 10 people on this board have some concern about performance.. hell that's why you bought a G37 and not a A5, IS250 or TL. The G had more HP and thrill. All I'm saying is that the best transmission tech today is not manual, it's a fast changing inteliigent semi-automatic transmission. It's faster than manual and you don't have to move your left foot or take a hand off the wheel. If you're after performance how could you want less?

Now if your a classic purist and like the involvement manual delivers that's fine... To me however the ideal transmission for a lux sport couple is a semi-automatic so you can have the best of both worlds which is the goal of the cars design. The G's current auto only marginally accomplishes this and as I see it is the greatest area in need of improvement...not HP.

 

It's dangerous only if you don't know how to drive it well.

 

I definitely agree with all the highlighted areas. I absolutely care about performance. All I am saying is that unless your G is a PURE 100% TRACK CAR then the performance difference in a MT/AT is negligible.

In this car, for my DD habits, I enjoy the performance it delivers as well as the connection I get from an MT (or whatever cheesy word you want to sub in for that)

 

Na just common sense, your safer with two hands on the wheel. But I'll give you with daily street driving MT is fine, I was refering to performance driving... which again is why most people would choose an MT.

 

It seems we want the same things, I just don't think you're seeing that a semi automatic or DCT can meet your manual control needs just as well if not better actually. The only reason to hold on to MT is for nostalgia.

 

I just like the feel of a MT (maybe it's nostalgia after-all )...after being in one of my best friend's GTR's and seeing how insanely fast and smooth it's auto-shifter is, I was astounded and it completely changed my opinion of paddle-shifting AT's. If I ever can afford a GTR obv. I'll be ok with an auto, but for the G I am happy with my MT

 

Yea I'm hoping they bring this tech down for us poor folk soon, kinda sad to see they removed it from the 3 series... then again I need something that looks fast too, BMW's never impressed me here... looks like something I'd rent for a business meeting.

 

I'd be willing to put down money that the 7AT wouldn't be slower than the 6MT in a drag race or on a road course. AutoX would be questionable since the short 2nd in the 7AT could hurt it more than help.

Dangerous in a performance driving situation? Again, only if the driver lacks good technique.

 

Some are confusing terms and technology.

The G has a an automatic gear box with Torque converter.

The GTR has a dual clutches manual tranny. If you understand the difference you can't say they are "automatic" because they aren't. They are a computer operated clutch. And a dual clutch box is near seamless.

I got an AT because I wanted the color and chose MT on my last car. I can say it doesn't feel anything like MT. It's not bad but the response is slower and if you think the computer trying to save gas by going to the lowest RPM everywhere is like an MT...well I can't help you.

 

it is definitely near seamless (I would even venture to say seamless)...technically yes, I understand it isn't an "automatic" but I was just saying that b/c most people think of a MT as one with a stick shift and an AT as one where it will shift for you/paddle shifters (I didn't want to get too complex for ppl that didn't know the difference)

 

Any car where the gears are shifted for you with no driver intervention (regardless of it has a manual mode) is an automatic. Whether it is a torque converter, DSG, SMG, tiptronic, etc. does not matter. It is still automatic

the English word automatic
derived from the Greek word automatos, αὐτόματος (self-moved ('automatic'); spontaneous)

A manual vehicle is one where the gears will not shift EXCEPT with driver intervention. A hydraulic sequential transmission is a manual. A traditional H gearbox is a manual. There is nobody doing the gear changing except yourself.

The GTR may have clutches, but it is still an automatic. Paddle shifted Ferraris are automatic. Exclusion of a clutch pedal does not make a car an automatic; there are clutchless manual transmissions.

F1 cars are a grey area, since the upshifts are done automatically, but the downshifts are not.