Anyone Else Considering an Automatic FR-S?

[Lonewolf]

Originally Posted by fitftw

automatic FR-S? What are you, 70? Buy a tC and leave manly cars to the men. Men with beards and wives who still cook dinner. The S2000 didn't have an auto option, the first generation Miata was like 5% automatics, what's the ratio for the FR-S?

What are you 17? I never understood the vitriol from the "manly" men who only drive stick. I drive both stick and auto, does that make me a hermaphrodite?

First, Miata's, despite their performance credentials, have never been known as "manly" cars.

A man is someone who takes care of himself (and his family), does what HE wants (not what his peers/society try to make him do), likes girls for their special parts, and pees standing up, that's it. There is no requirement that you drive stick.

I learned to drive stick from a girlfriend back in high school? Does that make her a man...which I can assure she is not

[A Gomez]

No offense to anyone, but I do not think FR-S/BRZ will be considered a manly car, really. It is a niche car for a very specific and narrow market that has limited enthusiastic followers. Maybe not a girly car, but not a manly car either. Golden standards of manly cars are big-3 muscles (and only V8 variants if you want to be picky), pick-up trucks and body on frame SUV's.

[SUB-FT86]

You got it wrong Gomez. A manly car can still have a sharp, low slung body, etc Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Aston Martin. A car doesnt have to look blocky like a muscle car. The FRS looks handsome and aggressive.

[madfast]

Originally Posted by SUB-FT86

You got it wrong Gomez. A manly car can still have a sharp, low slung body, etc Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Aston Martin. A car doesnt have to look blocky like a muscle car. The FRS looks handsome and aggressive.

put a kia badge on any of those cars you listed and all of a sudden they become girly cars, see how that works?

[A Gomez]

Originally Posted by madfast

put a kia badge on any of those cars you listed and all of a sudden they become girly cars, see how that works?

Good one.

[fitftw]

If this car sells more automatics than manuals in America, then I will shed a tear for the manual transmission. It's dying, folks, and nobody seems to give a damn or want to save it. Please, buy this car with a manual like 100% of buyers overseas will be doing. It's lighter, faster, easier to service, and more involving. If you buy an auto, you might as well buy a regular appliance car because you'll get the same enjoyment out of that. Or could people really just be so lazy? Or really young and consider the stickshift to be an old dinosaur thing or never had a chance to learn? I'm not a total hater. My daily Dodge Shadow is a 3AT. Because it's a DODGE SHADOW. You really want to be the owner of an automatic Toyota 86? Really? Well, fine, but...ugh. Something about that just screams WRONG.

Click this.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...l-headquarters

[oneday]

Originally Posted by fitftw

It's lighter, faster, easier to service, and more involving. If you buy an auto, you might as well buy a regular appliance car because you'll get the same enjoyment out of that. Or could people really just be so lazy? Or really young and consider the stickshift to be an old dinosaur thing or never had a chance to learn?

I am not sold on the 6AT yet, I really want to want the paddle shifter equipped car, but until I drive both the 6MT and the 6AT I will not be able to decide--a lot hinges on whether I can bounce off the rev limiter or if it will force the up shift and if it allows downshifts within safe engine speeds. If I can't do both of those things then the 6MT will be my choice.

So, on to your talking points:

Lighter? By how much? I don't recall seeing any (absolutely confirmed) specs yet. Even if it is 100#s that doesn't automatically make it slower or less involving.

Faster? Prove it. The 6MT _might_ be faster in a straight line (0-60), but I would speculate that once you get into the twisties, the 6AT will shine, and will equal or out pace the MT.

Easier to service? Sure. But how often will you actually need to? The gear set that is supposed to be in this is designed for way more power and has proven itself in other applications already, so really, how often is more than a fluid change going to need to be done?

More involved? I doubt drivers in DTM, F1, WRC, Grand-Am or myriad other racing series around the world would say they would be more involved or faster if the cars they drove had a third pedal in them. Same goes for drivers of any of the newer high performance cars. Having one less thing to think might allow you to become more involved in being a better, faster driver. And, as I said it in another thread:

Originally Posted by oneday

The car I autocrossed for 2010 was a paddle shifter (6-spd sequential [GXR1000 motor/trans]) and I really enjoyed being able to concentrate on throttle (right foot) and braking (left foot) inputs without needing to worry about shift points, so I was very excited at the prospect of getting a 6AT version of the FR-S.

Lazy? No, but I do look forward to not having to work the third pedal while sitting in traffic, while still being in control of the gear I am in.

[ryude]

It just goes back to the "If you don't like the same things as I do you're wrong" philosophy. Nothing is wrong with an automatic, it's just that enthusiasts are very elitist in nature.

[NumbersGuy]

People have a choice, that is why they offer an AT and MT. They would be crazy to not offer an AT in this car as it is already going to be a niche non high volume car, if they didn't offer a AT, then the car would not be in production long, as the majority of the cars sold, will be AT, especially since the AT is getting awesome reviews.

Yes, I will be getting the 6AT. To each his own. Either way, the car will be awesome.

[DRACHENV6]

Originally Posted by blur

6th gen accord autos fail left and right. Although I heard it's because of improper usage, AKA using D4 instead of D3 in the streets instead of the highway. Mine hasn't crapped out yet

I had a 6th gen coupe as well. IMO they looked amazing.. haha

[SUB-FT86]

I love the elitist attitude of some of these guys. I find it hilarious the things they say.

[A Gomez]

Originally Posted by fitftw

If this car sells more automatics than manuals in America, then I will shed a tear for the manual transmission. It's dying, folks, and nobody seems to give a damn or want to save it. Please, buy this car with a manual like 100% of buyers overseas will be doing. It's lighter, faster, easier to service, and more involving. If you buy an auto, you might as well buy a regular appliance car because you'll get the same enjoyment out of that. Or could people really just be so lazy? Or really young and consider the stickshift to be an old dinosaur thing or never had a chance to learn? I'm not a total hater. My daily Dodge Shadow is a 3AT. Because it's a DODGE SHADOW. You really want to be the owner of an automatic Toyota 86? Really? Well, fine, but...ugh. Something about that just screams WRONG.

Click this.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...l-headquarters

For the record, I will be buying a manual if I am buying one. There would be no other way. And I will be doing it just for myself. Other people, I do not care. Their choices. Who would I be to tell other people what to drive?? I do not know if you need to be that pesimistic about the future of the manual transmission. In fact, we, who live in the US are in a better shape in that regard than those who live in Japan, for example. I do not have the exact number, but I believe the AT ratio is somewhere between 90% and 95%. People there can choose to get a license that allows ONLY to drive AT cars. Can you believe that?

[RYU]

These days a performance oriented Torque Converter Automatic and especially the DSG is simply better, faster, and easier to use but not necessarily more "fun" to many folks.

Manuals are only really considered because the USDM market demands it. BMW's M Division considered the latest M5 in auto only but the N.American market demanded the manual to much disdain from the M Division engineers.

It's nice to have a choice between the two because I like to row through my own gears at times. The fact is... a weekend wannabe racer will be faster, smoother, and better with a performance oriented auto.

This car would serve daily-driver duties for me so it's really exciting to hear the auto getting rave reviews.

[fitftw]

I'm not elitist but I also don't think flappy-paddles are a substitute for a third pedal in terms of satisfaction and excitement. You'll never experience a perfect heel-toe, a clutch-kick-induced drift, a smooth upshift just before the revs cut out, and countless other actions and chances are you don't give a crap...I understand racing is dominated by flappy paddles, but for me it will never be an option when considering anything rear-wheel drive.