i dont think you know what you started by asking this question.

people say auto is faster i dont know about that but i can tell you they are more consistant.

i know i turn 13.7s stock and was consistant so. i say if you want to drag race occasionally and drive it for just the fun of it. and it will be sometimes on the track but most off. and you dont wont to run tens every weekend then get a m6. im not saying you cant 10s in a m6 but it would be easier in an auto.

but i know i like my m6 and i drive my buddys a4 with a 2500 stall and its fun but its not a six speed.

 

You should drive both! BUT, I love having a six speed, With the auto you press the gas and your going 100, with the M6 you have more fun getting there! I think standards "feel" faster, your in your cars powerband more often than an auto. Just my opinions, and there like ***holes. Or so I'm told!

 

auto

 

There are far worse things in life then clutching in and out during traffic, but there are few things in life as good as ripping into your gears in an M6.

Alex

 

I have had both! Had a 95 Formula m6, was it fun? Hell yes.I felt like I could pull anything in third( until a Buick Grandsport got ahold of me!). Also put cags in it. Now I have a 93 z, automatic with 2800 stall. I can jump on it, light up the Nittos, then they grab, fly like a bat out of hell, look up and I am doing 80.Sure I can have higher mph before, but I get to where I can go really fast now(et). that is whats important to me.This is in OD, on the shifter. I just watch the tach for the flash(3000) and hang on.If I could drive both cars from a dead stop. My z would beat the Bird.I just couldnt shift fast enough!This is the quarter. Any farther the Bird would catch up.My conclusion---F-Bodys rule!! any tranny Pickerman

 

JMO:

I have had both. I had a 96 T/A with an A4, and now own a 95 T/A with an M6. I like the M6 better because it FEELS much faster, I get more control over the engine and can come out of gear and coast/rev/whatever anytime I want, and I can auto-X the car if I want to now. Stock for stock the M6's are faster...once you start building and throw a stall in the A4 its a whole different ball game, and many people have made reference to the "A4 advantage"

A4's are also much easier on the rear end and can cut lower 60' times without blowing it up. I could nail it in my A4 at 25MPH, and it would spin a little, then catch and go. In my m6 I can pretty much spin the tires at any time in first, and if I rev it and dump it I can get it to spin out in as high as third (stock clutch even).

 

For an underpowered car (import) or a stock mild lt1/ls1 for cruising or long distance road racing go stick. If you have somethign fast 1/4 mile wise or stoplight to stoplight or have a job where you drive in city auto all the way. And autos are taking over more and more 5sp autos with paddle shifts oh yeah! Even ferrari is using autos now and clutchless sticks because they are better. Ive got a stick in my daily beater toyota but my blown stang has a C4 and the Ls1 has a auto (13.3@105+ stock ) its all preference but you will see less and less true sticks and in the top drag classes almost all are auto or jerico type phony sticks, only need clutch to get rolling

 

13.3 is good but i had a buddy of mine cut 12.9 in a stock 2001 es6 m6. i really and truthfully think and a4 is more consistant hands down, but im not going to say faster. when someone cuts 12.9s in a stock m6 i thinks it more driver than car.

 

The M6 is an awesome example of an OEM factory transmission. Mine has stood up to 600rwhp (and more with the nitrous) without a problem, it still shifts good and doesn't make any unnatural noises!

The factory A4 is fairly lame, OTOH. While it's fine for a stock motor, it will not stand much abuse compared to the M6. That said, if you have a basically stock car, the A4 will have a quicker ET at the dragstrip, though not as much fun to drive. But if you start with serious mods, the A4 will become a limitation a lot sooner than the M6.

All that aside, I am swapping out my M6 for an automatic. It sure won't be the wimpy 4L60E that the General puts into the 4th gen though! But in the end, it comes down to preference and goals for the car. If you like to shift, get an M6. If you don't, get an A4. Just be aware of the limitations.

Rich Krause