SSPORT10

This whole argument is silly IMO. Isn't freedom and choices are what make this country so great? If someone wants an A6 then so be it. If someone wants the M6 then also so be it. One is not necessarily better than the other one. It really all depends on the driver of the vehicle. You can have all the HP in the world equipped with the best and fastest shifting transmission in the world, but if you can not drive the car properly then everything else is a moot point! As far as GM offering both choices, I think it is brillant! I personally have never figured out what they are so choosy with the Corvette when it comes to an auto transmission. The ZR1 maybe, but for crying out loud at least offer one in the Z06! GM has tried time and time again to state that the current A6, even the beefed up 6L90 offered in the CTS-V and upcoming ZL1, is not reliable enough especially for warranty purposes for the Z06. That is just simply not even close to the truth. The ZL1 will have quite a bit more HP and Torque than the current Z06 and weighs a lot more than the Z06. The 6L90 is plenty enough reliable for the Z06. GM even to this day still tries to spew that garbage to us in regards to the Z06 and the A6. I know one thing is for sure, GM is definitely taking note of all the disappointed Z06 people that would buy one or would have bought one if it had an A6, so the C7 Z06 will most certainly have some sort of "auto" type transmission, hopefully a DSG type! This is definitely one of the reasons that the ZL1 will have an auto, GM is finally starting to listen to the people that matter the most, the buyers. So to that, I give 2 thumbs up to GM for the A6 option in the ZL1!

ImportedRoomate

M3 can be had with an auto. I wouldn't be surprised to see an auto in the top C7 corvette.

The 09 CTS-V Nurburgring record run was done with an auto and it held its own just fine.
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Slappy3243

For what it's worth, GM added the automatic option to its CTS-V line because people demanded it. A lot of buyers were turned off by be forced to have a manual. I personally love the manual and wouldn't have it any other way, but I couldn't care less if somebody wanted the car with an auto.

Bob Cosby

I'm a manual guy...can't ever see myself owning an auto in my 'toy'. But the statements some of you guys are making are just plain silly (dare I say stupid?). Basically, because someone might want an A6 over an M6, they aren't worthy of the car. Riiiggghhhhhttt.

What does the word "Camaro" mean again?

jg95z28

No arguments there. However, as I said before... the percentage of people who buy the ZL1 to be a "track car" is small.

OutsiderIROC-Z

There are not any responses in this thread that were not expected.

Mucker15

My rational for going with the A6
1) My car is driven to work and I dont want to deal with a stick in NY traffic
2) My A6 is insane , the tranny tune I have in there is sick and so much fun to drive
3) The need to separate my two boys from killing each other in the back seat requires a free hand and shifting will be difficult
4) A6 Keeps the wife happy happy wife equals future supercharger and keeping my 69 Camaro as well

to each thier own I try not to judge anyone for thier choices were all different, get what you want enjoy your car

skuttduck

You would get the ZL1 for a daily driver?

I suppose one could do that, but with all the capabilities of this car, I think it is overkill.

wastintime

Just my $.02 Pretty much like a lot of people have said, it's up to the driver. The ZL-1 may be "as close to a race car as you can get from the factory" BUT, 1. it's not a race car and 2. how many people are really racing it? How many people are actually going to put the Automatic up to the kind of abuse where it's going to fail by virtue of not being able to handle the torque? And who would put a transmission in a car that can't handle the stock hp and torque?

I race cars for a living, and honestly I expect us to have "Automatics" in every race car within 10 years or so. Computers have gotten to a point where it shifts faster than a driver can shift, it rev matches for you faster and more precisely than you can, and you've taken the driver error out of the equation of wearing the gearbox. For street cars this also usually means you can have a "manual" with a warranty, just not a clutch pedal and stick.

You also have to understand that a lot of "automatic" transmissions are not what we traditionally think of as automatic anymore, you just don't shift with a stick. The original BMW SMG tranmission was an auto-manual hybrid, but the Audi/VW DSG was the first true manual transmission offered in mainstream cars to simply not have a clutch pedal and they're amazing. They work by utilizing computers to get moving, have programmed shift points, etc... or you can drive it like a manual with all of the torque handling of a manual gearbox. The only issues I have with them is they're programmed to automatically downshift, but that's easy enough to fix. At this point Ferrari has even gone the way of all DSG/SMG transmissions. So something to consider is: how do you define an Automatic?, and before you really criticize it you should know if it's really a manual that doesn't require a clutch pedal, or if it's a true automatic.

Personally I enjoy driving a stick shift, and couldn't imagine owning even a DSG/SMG for my daily driver let alone a sports/fun car, but I'm also young and stupid, in 20 years the idea of driving a stickshift in traffic may drive me to insanity. To me it's just another way to feel connected to your car. The only reason I'm opposed to so many cars in America being automatics is that I think driving stick is a skill that's disappearing, and it's just kind of sad in some ways, especially when you consider how bad driver training in America is. In Germany you get a license for knowing how to drive. In America you get a license for knowing how to parallel park.

Bob Cosby

A-freaking-men!

2010_5thgen

theres nothing wrong with automatics and the bmw, audi and vw autos....but this is a chevy auto. not the same. this is not a f1 paddle shifter. its delayed response. and yeah it may be quicker in drag racing. im sorry, like the zr1 and many other cars in this catagory...i think it should only be offered in manual. there are just some cars that should only come in manual. this is one of them....and of course the Z28,,,when it comes. but i understandf they need the auto option to sell more cars.

2010_5thgen

just to make it clear too....i never said automatic transmissions were dumb or for Pu$$ies or anything. i just said i dont think it shouldnt be on this car...so anyone that has an auto...dont take offense to my statements. its not directed at any of you.

STOCK1SC

Gotta love some of the holier than thou manual stick only guys in this thread, if i don't have one you shouldn't need one or even have the option, give me a break! Gotta love this whole I know what's best for everyone mentality we see in this country everyday. Go get your manual ZL1 and watch the 300lb computer programmer int he auto ZL1 clean your clock at every stop light in town. Not everybody lives on a racetrack, 99% of these cars will never see a road course and only 25% at most would ever even see a drag strip. I haven't owned an auto in my cars for the past 14 years but this country is just getting too crowded and the open roads we use to enjoy are now lined with shopping strip malls and subdivisions with traffic lights every 100 yards, I'm actually tired of shifting gears and only using 1st and 2nd because of traffic. Next car is gonna be an auto, unfortunately Chevy puts AFM and a ton a electronic limitations on the auto SS.

2010_5thgen

your right, not everyone will race this car thats why they offer the auto. and the drag strip is a totally different type of driving compared ot a road course where manual transmission is better than chevy's tap shift. and i would love to take you up on that challenge of racing a manual vs the auto in a road course because I will clean your clock!

skuttduck

The thing that gets me is that they (GM) announced the ZL1 with manual transmission only at the Chicago auto show. Now in June they announce automatic transmission.

I did notice a lot of people complaining that they didn't have an auto trans option here for the ZL1.

First off, the ZL1 is not for everybody. I believe it was designed with manual in mind for the performance driver who loves the cornering and curves and the days on the track. Not for the everyday person to leave strips of rubber by mashing down the accelerator pedal going from stop light to stop light, and burning fuel by sitting in city traffic everyday.

Now offering it in auto opens up the ability to get inexperienced drivers behind the wheel. If we were talking some place other than the U.S. such as South America, or Europe, then manual transmission is the popular choice in cars there.

GM gave people a choice. It is pretty obvious, if you want the car how GM intended it, then the choice is clear based on the announcement, manual transmission. Unless I am misinformed and there is evidence to suggest that auto was planned all along, offering this car in automatic sure seems like an afterthought.

I also wonder if GM will do AFM to really castrate this beast?