A4 vs. M6 speed
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,789
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From: Northern Illinois
Oldtimer
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,526
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From: Apache Junction, Arizona
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Hemingway Correction " We Are True Sportsmen!!"
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,328
Likes: 40
From: Orangevale California
St. Jude Donor '10
I think they both have their place. Almost every car I've owned has been a manual transmission. I just prefer it that way.
That was one of the selling points in the Z06 for me, you CANNOT get an automatic. I like that fact.
My wife drives automatics, I drive sticks.
That was one of the selling points in the Z06 for me, you CANNOT get an automatic. I like that fact.
My wife drives automatics, I drive sticks.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 176
Likes: 1
From: Buffalo Grove Illinois
I drive a manual but anybody that has done any serious drag racing knows autos rule in that realm. It actually does not take the "driver out of the element" because there is a whole lot of skill in getting a car to launch with a stalled auto. You have to heat your slicks or drag radials just right. You need to have excellent reaction time. You need to develop a launch for your car that gets you the best 60' time, whether you are going to flash the converter from idle or brake torque to max RPM and then let off the brake and let it rip.
Timing is of the essence as you may need to leave on the first yellow light when flashing the converter or the second yellow light when coming off the brake. Either way it is a skill that has to be developed to get the best 60' when coming off the line.
Many serious auto drag racers run manual valve bodies which will require you to shift for each gear.
I have drag raced for over 30 years and have run manual and auto cars.
Manuals are much harder to launch and to do it consistently and if you MISS a shift you lose, period.
Timing is of the essence as you may need to leave on the first yellow light when flashing the converter or the second yellow light when coming off the brake. Either way it is a skill that has to be developed to get the best 60' when coming off the line.
Many serious auto drag racers run manual valve bodies which will require you to shift for each gear.
I have drag raced for over 30 years and have run manual and auto cars.
Manuals are much harder to launch and to do it consistently and if you MISS a shift you lose, period.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: NE Ohio & So Cal
I'M SURE EACH OF US PURCHASED OUR CARS KNOWING WHICH TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED. WE ALL HAD A REASON TO PURCHASE THAT PARTICULAR CORVETTE & THAT'S ALL WE NEEDED TO MAKE IT THE RIGHT PURCHASE. NOTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID MAKES IT THE WRONG CHOICE FOR ANY OF US. WHICH TRANSMISSION IS BETTER? THE ONE YOU WANT. IT CAN'T BE A SPORTS CAR WITH AN AUTOMATIC. CHECK OUT SOME OF THE NEWEST SUPERCARS. STANDARDS ARE TOO HARD ON THE LEFT LEG. NOT ALL OF US ARE OLD. CORVETTES ARE CORVETTES. APPRECIATE THEM ALL & TRY TO ENJOY YOUR LIFE WHILE YOU CAN.
Last edited by VETTE26yearsVETTE; Feb 18, 2011 at 10:32 AM. Reason: CORRECTION
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 73,568
Likes: 33
From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
I drive a manual but anybody that has done any serious drag racing knows autos rule in that realm. It actually does not take the "driver out of the element" because there is a whole lot of skill in getting a car to launch with a stalled auto. You have to heat your slicks or drag radials just right. You need to have excellent reaction time. You need to develop a launch for your car that gets you the best 60' time, whether you are going to flash the converter from idle or brake torque to max RPM and then let off the brake and let it rip.
Timing is of the essence as you may need to leave on the first yellow light when flashing the converter or the second yellow light when coming off the brake. Either way it is a skill that has to be developed to get the best 60' when coming off the line.
Many serious auto drag racers run manual valve bodies which will require you to shift for each gear.
I have drag raced for over 30 years and have run manual and auto cars.
Manuals are much harder to launch and to do it consistently and if you MISS a shift you lose, period.
Timing is of the essence as you may need to leave on the first yellow light when flashing the converter or the second yellow light when coming off the brake. Either way it is a skill that has to be developed to get the best 60' when coming off the line.
Many serious auto drag racers run manual valve bodies which will require you to shift for each gear.
I have drag raced for over 30 years and have run manual and auto cars.
Manuals are much harder to launch and to do it consistently and if you MISS a shift you lose, period.
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Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 11,792
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From: Ossining New York
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'12-'13-'14
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 179
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From: ramona california
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,923
Likes: 5
From: San Antonio TX
Doubtful my car will ever see a pass down the 1/4 mile track. Unless I'm going for broke with the idea of being the fastest thing that ever was, what do I care about 1/4 mile timeslips. For me it's about the whole driving experience which includes the feel and the sounds associated with shifting gears. It's the same as the discussion over which is faster, a coupe or a hardtop. Some people will point out with glee that the Z51 coupes have a higher top speed due to aerodynamics than a Z06. I find that difficult to matter even if it's true as I have no intention of being in a situation where top speed is a serious concern.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,828
Likes: 14
Here is the info on the Paddle Shifters: for borh a manual and auto trans.
http://mastershift.com/newvideogallery.html
http://mastershift.com/newvideogallery.html
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,923
Likes: 5
From: San Antonio TX
Well....I'm sure to many people it is, but to me, if you're not at least shifting, where is the "sport"? But that's not where I was going with this. Sport requires a skill and conditioning. To me its not much of a sports car if you're not shifting manually, paddles I'm not sure about yet.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,923
Likes: 5
From: San Antonio TX
They don't have them for a corvette manual transmission only automatic for corvettes. Do have for many other manual transmission cars but because of the design and location they are still trying to develop one for corvettes. Interesting concept especially for the track, you can keep both hands on the wheel at all times. Just push on the paddle and when ready to shift up or down engage clutch.
on a slightly diffrent subject I would love to see a clutchless shifting setup where the shifter kills the ignition for a split second then shifts without releasing the clutch now that would be bad @$$.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 18,643
Likes: 14
From: Norman Oklahoma - The Only State in the Union with no Blue Counties!
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 541
Likes: 38
From: Temecula CA
My Corvette is not a daily driver. I prefer the manual, as I enjoy shifting gears myself. If I had to drive it to work every day in traffic, I'd take the Auto. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Phil
Phil
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,060
Likes: 291
From: Pasco WA
Well, they're not exactly automatic transmissions anymore. The really fast exotics have multi-clutch, computer controlled automatics. They can be shifted manually, or not, of course. The DSG trans in modern VWs and BMWs is much faster shifting than any manual, without the power robbing TQ converter. Kind of like having your cake, etc. In a few years, the yardstick of sports cars (Porsche) probably won't have a clutch pedal anymore. In my case, it's gotta be a manual to be a sports car, even though I know that's not true anymore. At least newer Corvette's A/T is now a 6-speed.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 170
Likes: 1
From: Jacksonville Florida
The weird thing about this argument is.....there is always a faster car. Your car can be the sportiest baddest M6 around...and get smoked by an auto. Then that same auto that smoked the sportiest M6...gets smoked by a manual. It's all about preference....I prefer a manual, but it's awful nice to be hands free when my girl is in the car....when it's all said and done, we all have badass cars...auto or manual.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,230
Likes: 419
In my mind, Corvettes have always been about being a triple threat. Good on the street, good at the drags, and good on a road course. With an automatic, you can only have two out of the three. You simply cannot be good on a road course. There are too many unpredictable shift requirements to be able to program an automatic to function properly. Even the paddle shifting cars are essentially manuals with computer controlled clutches, but with driver control (and hence NOT an AUTOmatic).
Manuals on the other hand can be good in all three locations, street, strip(as long as you are good), and road course. And if you want the most exciting Corvettes out there, it will have to be a manual.
If you want a C6 ZR1 - manual only
If you want a C6 Z06 - manual only
If you want a C5 Z06 - manual only
If you want a C4 ZR-1 - manual only
If you want a C4 LT4 - manual only
If you want a C2 solid lifter big block - manual only
If you want a solid lifter C1/C2 fuelie - manual only
Only for a short time in the C3 generation did they try autos with high performance engines - and it didn't last.
Maybe Chevrolet has been trying to say something.
Manuals on the other hand can be good in all three locations, street, strip(as long as you are good), and road course. And if you want the most exciting Corvettes out there, it will have to be a manual.
If you want a C6 ZR1 - manual only
If you want a C6 Z06 - manual only
If you want a C5 Z06 - manual only
If you want a C4 ZR-1 - manual only
If you want a C4 LT4 - manual only
If you want a C2 solid lifter big block - manual only
If you want a solid lifter C1/C2 fuelie - manual only
Only for a short time in the C3 generation did they try autos with high performance engines - and it didn't last.
Maybe Chevrolet has been trying to say something.