[Ocala FR-S]

I drove an '85 MR2 manual for 10 years and back in the day the automatic tramsmission alternative was unacceptable. The manual transmission ruled all. My car prior to the FR-S was an '08 335i sport coupe manual. Great fun, but as spirited as my driving is, it was not as if I was heel toe shifting to truly experience top performance going in and out of turns. It's 2012 and, in my opinion, the technology of the FR-S automatic is phenomenal and for all but the most talented and experienced drivers it provides a superior driving experience.

With paddle shift available on the fly even without having to change to manual mode, I am able to downshift to the desired gear for accelerating out of a turn. With electronic rev matching, I am able to brake when approaching a turn and simultaneousy downshift without upsetting the balance of the car due to engine braking (basically it mimics heel toe downshifts). The upshifts are quick and crisp. Certainly not clutch popping quick but still very good. I grow happier each day with my choice as I learn to exploit and enjoy this amazing technology.

I was a MT devotee, but I accept the AT advances in technology as having caught up to my considerable performance needs. You don't have to be stuck in traffic to appreciate the automatic. It performs quite well. Happy driving to all.