[WolfpackS2k]

Originally Posted by rvoll

So if you take an objective view of this manual vs. automatic thing, you get the following:

1. Modern automatics have more gears and shift faster.
2. Modern automatics can be manually controlled through paddle shifters.
3. You can get faster track times with modern automatics.
4. Modern automatics (not in the 86) have manual features such as launch mode.
5. Manuals are much better at giving you a visceral experience because you can make shifting mistakes and thus it is more up to the skill of the driver, i.e., it is more of a challenge.
6. Manuals are much more fun on road trips.
7. Automatics are much better in traffic.
8. Modern automatics can get better gas mileage.

We don't have a modern automatic in our cars, which tilts the decision towards getting a manual and why it should probably be the transmission of choice for our car. Put in a dual clutch 8-10 speed unit and that calculus would change. For corporate profitability reasons in a low volume car, I don't see that happening until either the 86 is discontinued or a next generation is introduced.

In full disclosure, I have an auto and drive mostly around town with monthly rides in the countryside. The paddle shifters do work well and give me control, but it is not as much fun as a manual would be. Ride quality is important when my wife is in the car, and the auto is much more comfortable than the manual with PP both in terms of ride smoothness and smoothness of shifts.

I don't track my cars anymore, but at the track I'd want the one that gives me the best lap times and am much less concerned about "fun". Currently, I think. for this car, without a dual clutch, that's a toss up. However, if the car had a modern auto, I would choose the auto for the track.

I'm not sure what time of track events you went to, but at the ones I go to the focus is on becoming a better driver and having fun. Improving, and lowering, lap times is great because it's empirical evidence that you're becoming a better driver at the given track. Do you NEED to have lower lap times to convince yourself you're having fun? I would hope not. That's a ridiculous form of enjoyment validation.

Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0

Is the NSX a profitable car? If it is then it probably wouldn’t be if they did a manual in there too. Track queens ehh.

Porsche GT3 touring edition because of the popularity of the 911R. Apparently being the fastest isn’t the only thing that matters.

It's important to note here that due to the uproar caused by the PDK only 911 GT3, not only did Porsche increase manual availability, they developed a new manual transmission. The 6 speed manual which debuted in the 911R is not the same 6 speed used previously by other Porsche sports cars. It is a new unit, which is now available on the 911 GT3 & GT3 Touring. The GT3 RS remains PDK only.

Originally Posted by krayzie

Come to the big cities and you will noticed these days the 1% who drive these new expensive sports / supercars are mostly wealthy Chinese kids that can't even drive properly they can't be bothered rowing their own gears (like what's that?).

Cars are just going thru this "digital" phase (think quartz watches and CD players of the past), I'm sure the manual transmission will eventually make a come back as a luxury commodity (they pull this shit everytime something gets obsolete) in a big way like mechanical watches and turntables of today.

The A90 being supposedly the Toyota sports flagship means they have something to prove against the likes of the R35 GTR and such, and needs to chase after numbers being late to the game. The GTR wasn't 6 figures when it first came out. The Toyota brand has to communicate "value" as they have Lexus when it comes to high price.

The Value of manual transmission sports cars will never go away on the secondary market. Sports cars values' remain higher when they are equipped with manual transmissions (regardless of whether or not it was a rare option). Automatic transmission technology is always changing (and can lead to technological dead ends and oddities) but the manual transmission remains the same. It's consistent.