I'm pretty sure you're going to get nothing but strong opinions, sonic. The "I will NEVER get a sports car with an AT" crowd is fairly stubborn, myself included. I wouldn't even test drive a car with one.
I won't try to speak for others, but I realize I am becoming a bit of a dinosaur on this issue. Ferrari, Porsche, and even Nissan don't offer MT on some sports cars because they don't maximize performance.
I also realize Nissan could not appeal to the range of enthusiasts without offering an AT. They know we aren't all tracking the car, and some of us suffer through stop and go city traffic everyday.
So, to each their own
, even though MT is way better, and my Z could beat up your Z
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Rain, snow, sleet, hail: 2009 Mazda 3 sGT HB
Everything else: 2009 370z, PW Touring 6MT