i'm with this guy

 

Over by Rockford actually

It is about being connected! That's the point. A pure mechanical connection has a much more visceral feeling but yet less tangible when looking at specs.

I'm well aware of the benefits of a torque converter for drag racing or stop-and-go traffic and also the speed at which an automatic changes gears once the gearshift is initiated.

That once initiated part is what's not understood by automatic drivers. There's a world of difference in driving control that isn't as easily listed in specs. If a shift happens in 2 ms but takes 2 s to initiate, it won't do. I can anticipate and even change my mind in the middle of any shift. It isn't as consistent but it's a hell of a lot more fun.

Even though today's automatics are getting remarkably efficient, they will always approach a real clutch coupled drivetrain.

At the end of the day you can talk about how great automatics have become... and they have. You can't deny that, despite specs or otherwise, the difference in the driving experience is vastly different. That holds true even with the cute little paddle controlled automatics.

If you're driving a car for status, style, etc. than the driving experience doesn't matter. Most people don't care, don't know how, and have never experienced driving a car simply to enjoy actually driving a car. For those of us that truly love rowing gears it makes all the difference.

I'll take a slightly slower car that's a blast to drive over a no brainer to drive but consistently faster car. This is especially true in a vehicle that isn't intended to be a race car but an entertaining car to get you through an otherwise crappy day at work. THIS is how a view the G8 but it's missing a key component for my use.

Clear as mud?

 

Is is me, or does there sometimes seem to be a slight arrogance in the air with people who drive sticks?

Nothing against you personally, just an observation that I've made.

 

For some, sure, but there's always those guys in every group. Passion is often mistaken for arrogance

 

I know people who like rowing their own gears and don't care if the auto can do it better or more efficiently.

I think it's more just a case of preference than arrogance.

It's too bad that

A) certification costs of different powertrain options are so high
B) there aren't enough people who feel that way to justify the certification costs

A problem in the U.S. is that very few people order their cars. They want to go to a dealer and drive one home. So dealers order mainstream cars and don't have vehicles available that only a small percentage want/demand. So people don't buy them. There's a bit of a feedback loop there.

In Europe, people are much more likely to order cars. So if only 10% want a stick, they just order the car that way. Here, a customer finds a different dealer/mfr that has the stick on the lot.

 

Its a shame that many cars aren't available in manual. The only reason I have my Camaro and my previous Cobalt is that they are equipped with a manual trans. If my Malibu came with a stick I'd probably buy it when the lease is up, but its auto only so it goes back. What's it take to get a Malibu type car with a 6spd stick by a domestic manufacturer around here? The G8 V6 with a stick even? Who wouldnt want better control and gas mileage in their car? People whine about MPG all the time and a conservatively driven manual will yield better results in most cases.

 

Whose arrogant...?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWa_j4aB6vI



I've said it before unless you have a physical reason keeping you from shifting your own gears, you're really missing out on what makes any performance car fun.