Debatable, so I say we'll just agree to disagree on the reliability issue. I do agree that a lot of Jay's interest is in older cars, but to each their own. But, he does embrace new technology. He does own a jet engined motorcycle! I also saw him on some car TV show where he drove a STI and while he admitted the style of the car wasn't to his preference, he was blown away by the power and responsiveness. He was also impressed with that car's trans!

 

where's the pole auto verse manual?

 

I think we need a poll that distinguishes between transmission choices between a luxury car, a cruiser, & a true sports car.
I don't want a manual for a luxury car & can accept an auto transmission for a cruiser, but a true manual transmission is a must for me for a real sports car, & even more so for a ultra high price super sports car, nothing else can substitute.

 

Even though I laugh at Leno's analogy here ("AARGH!!! It's like having a mistress who can cook. I don't want to eat dinner. I'm not going there to have dinner." LMAO!)....

In reality, for many of us, we would buy a Porsche for a daily driver. As a daily driver, in NYC or LA or DC, where traffic is horrendous, I could see someone opting for a new manu-matic transmission. 5 years ago, I thought "Who would ever buy a Porsche automatic????) But now, I have seen the light.

Jay has so many cars, he can have specific cars for specific occasions. We should all be so fortunate.

I, myself, would never buy a Porsche manu-matic, but I no longer frown upon those that do. Hec, I could have bought a 540i 6-speed, and came real close too, but in the end, since this was going to be my MAIN source of transportation...through many days of rush hour traffic, a highly reliable Lexus GS430 made more sense.

On those rare days when I find an empty mountain road, I long for the 6-speed BMW. But 90% of the time, my Lexus is just fine....especially when I pass a broken down 540i on the road.

 

Think of it this way. 30 years from now where combustion engines and transmissions probably seize to exist, our children would have no idea when we say "rev up", "redline", "downshift", "heel-toe", etc.

 

i hope not I dont want to be changing a flux capasitor any time soon

 

Come on now......NOBODY in Hollywood actually has a MISTRESS now, do they ?
They're ALL faithful to their spouses.

Yes...in the traffic-choked DC area I'm in ( second only to SoCal for being a traffic mess )
there are still a few die-hard stick fans around but around 95% of new-car purchases here are either straight automatics or automanuals. The few sticks sold tend to be either hard-core sports cars like the Miata and S2000 or people who want ultra-cheap commuter cars, both for low price and top mileage.....and in the long run CVT's will probably will replace sticks as the best choice for mileage. We're seeing that now in the high-MPGHonda and Toyota hybrids.

 

I frown upon those that buy even a Mustang GT in Auto!!!! And I live in the greater NYC area! My feelings are that if you are buying a sports oriented car, be it Porsche or Mustang, it must be manual. If you're concerned with the traffic, or live some where and have to deal with traffic/slow roads 95% of the time, is it really necessary to purchase a sports car? If that's the case, they should have bought a nice big sedan so you can sit in comfort.
sorry........just my .02

 

While I don't entirely agree with it, there is some truth ito your arguement here. Not only the transmission choice, but the fact that in many urban areas a sports car cannot be driven to its potential in handling or top speed...as is the case in most of the U.S. with top speed.

 

I never bought the argument that it's too much of a pain to drive a manual in heavy traffic. While the traffic it's not too bad here, depending on the route, I have been caught in heavy traffic from time to time driving my manual G35c. Once you get used to it, the shifting comes naturally & almost instinctively , & you don't even have to think when you shift, & it's not that I only drive a manual all the time, I alternate between a manual & an auto tranny all the time (the SC430 is mostly a weekend car), & driving a manual in heavy traffic never bother me.
In many European & Asian cities, where the traffic is just as bad or worse, manual is still the predominant transmission, ~80 % I' ve heard.

 

And I think that just furthers my point. While we all know that the reason some people buy a Porsche or even a Mustang GT is to look good. "Appreciation of the automobile?? What's that? I just wanna look good!" This is why there are even autos in these cars. An enthusiast would always opt for the manual, especially since he can't fully utilize the potential of the car. At least why obeying local ordinances and laws he is actually participating in the experience of driving.

 

Well, actually, some automatics, especially matched with V8 engines, are better suited for that particular car. Corvette automatics are almost as fast as the manual because the automatic stores the torque so well during initial takeoff. If I bought a Vette, I wouldn't have to have a manual, and I'd still be having quite a bit of fun.

And of course, just because we live in heavy traffic regions doesn't mean we can't occasionally enjoy an empty on-ramp, or a nice country road. So please don't discriminate against us urban-dwellers and take all our fun from us...by simply saying we don't even "need" sports cars. We still do. We just can't fully enjoy them most of the time. Kinda like when you see someone driving a convertible in Maine or upstate NY. It's an occasional enjoyment, but an enjoyment all the same.

And last time I checked, some Ferraris only come with paddle shifters, and no clutch. That's pretty darn close to a manumatic to me, and Ferrari's are pure sports cars without a shadow of a doubt.

Like I said, I used to frown on most sports car owners with automatics...now I don't. They may not be sports car purists, but most of the people driving them aren't purists anyway. It's all about the look, the prestige, and the occasional romp to 60.

Hec, as much as I have modded my Lex, I sometimes wonder why I didn't just buy a damn sports car and be done with it.

 

Ferrari F1 Transmission DOES have a clutch...

the Enzo's F1 system is rather well-executed in the fact that when the transmission disengages the clutch, the computer also orders a burst of torque from the engine to keep the revs up...much like double-clutching...but at the flip of a paddle.

 

I understand Jay when he talks about that sweet spot. When I was younger I had a stretch of cars that were manual. You become one with the car. Shifting becomes instinctive and autonomic. The shifter almost goes into the slots on their own. You learn to power shift. You learn to blurp the tires in 2 gear. You learn to downshift stategically for optimal manuevering. People used to watch me do donuts and figure 8's. Even some slalom driving through cones.

Boy do I feel old...where did that guy go? I wouldn't dream of buying a stick now. There's too much else going on inside of cars these days. We're on the cell phone. We're using our laptops. We're tuning the music. We're using the navigation system. We're fumbling through our briefcases. Mainly there's just too much darn traffic. No sticks for me. Automatics all the way.

 

Do that nonsense on dry pavement and you won't have that clutch or transmission very long.