HPT

A proper Porsche PDK or BMW-level DCT will make the decision much harder. Driving a sports car with a torque converter is simply uninspiring, and since it will be mentioned...it has nothing to do with outright shift speed. A8 vs. M7 is a no-brainer. Anecdotally, more people regret getting the auto than the manual.

JonMN

Figured this would be a lively thread when I saw the title. Just a few random thoughts.

TLDR? I did and I like it. More detail below.

First, I do not track my car and probably never will. The closest I have come to tracking a car was the Corvette school at Spring Mountain. (which was a blast, as everyone knows)

Experience: Two 4-speed manuals, a 5 speed manual, and then a 6 speed manual 911. Traded the 911 on a S5 Cabriolet, which was only available as a DCT. I found I liked the manual-optional approach with the DCT . . .

So went with A8. I simply like having he option to go A or M, or, as as I do more and more often; "Semi-Auto."

Auto: As with my DCT experience, generally fine, but will have a rough shift off and on. For example, both the A8 and my DCT would have a glitch if I was slowing down and then decided to accelerate just as it was thinking of shifting. For example, slowing down for a light that changes at the last minute to green. I will say, when this happens, the DCT is even rougher than the A8.

When do I use Auto? Casual commuting. Might drive to work in Auto and home in Manual.

Manual: Really learned to like this a lot after having the car a few months. Took a little while to fine tune the shift points and throttle position, but like the feeling of controlling which gear the car was in. I really don't miss using my left foot to do this. And I don't miss shifts, and don't worry about overrevving.

"Semi-Auto:" Unless I am really in spirited mode, I am driving more and more in Manual but letting the car downshift on it's own if coming to a stop. I downshift for curves, but let the car downshift when coming to a stop. Really a fun approach, IMHO.

Of course the best advice is to rent one and play around.

PS: For about $190 and 10 seconds installation you can disable the V4 mode if it really bugs you.

Foosh

I hear this from folks all the time and never understand it. I commute in my C7 M7 to Washington, DC, a metro-area with the 2nd worst traffic gridlock in the U.S. (LA is first). I've been commuting in manual cars for decades, and am stuck in gridlocked traffic every single day, creeping forward with constant shifts between 1st and 2nd.

I don't understand it, because it's a non-issue for me. It might as well be an automatic because it's automatic for my body. I don't even think about it, and don't mind the constant shifting at all. Even in that kind of traffic I prefer it. It's a great way to become an incredibly smooth manual driver.

JRYELLOWCORVETTE

If I were a lot younger and not living in an area with a lot of traffic I would get the M7 and I have has both M & A transmissions. The new A8's are really nice and very fast. I say drive both and you decide but I am telling you if you have to drive in stop and go traffic a lot you will hate the M7 (at least most people would but there are some guys out there who don't mind and that's cool... for them).

$$$frumnuttin'

Thanks to all of you! Some things here I haven't thought about...I need to get up to date on the A8 issues; I have a manual and haven't paid attention to the topic....