Originally Posted by UNKNOWN_370

IMHO, Manuals are mandatory on certain types of cars. Mainly low hp cars. Because they are so friggin slow and they never put a great shiftable auto on a low hp car worth driving.

Examples:
Subaru BRZ
Scion FR-S
Hyundai gencoupe 2.0T
Mazda 2 & 3
VW Golf/Rabbit or whatever it's called now?
VW beetle
Civic Si
BMW, any model that ends with the #'s 20 or 28
Kia Forte,Rio
Hyundai Accent,Elantra

Cars like the Z, camaro and corvette, these are affordable, high powered sports cars with incredible automatics. I find more benefit in the stock Z in auto, but more benefit in a manual Z for Forced induction mods...
I like the fact that GM uses Tremec automatic transmissions that can hold up to an extra 150hp with only a better cooler and a couple more minor mods to the tranny.

AT's are so good today in some cars that it's really personal preference more than documented advantages...