B747VET

I have absolutely no idea as to why anyone would believe that automatics should be relegated to the parade lap. But that means that there would be no cars on the track in actual Indy races or Formula One races and there would be no C7R's or Ferraris allowed to compete in any race.

I also have no ability to conceive why the question of auto or manual has anything to do with mastering "complete car control."

I believe it was Randy Pobst that said the autos are both faster and safer on the track than the manuals. He also said that he wondered how much longer performance cars would be equipped with manual transmissions as they are increasingly rather antiquated.

Now I'm certainly not in Randy's driving league, but I have one stick performance car and one auto performance car. I've also driven Ferraris , Porches, and DB9s with DCTs and all of that leads me to kinda believe Pobst is probably quite on target with his transmission assessments. Manual trannys are fun and can give great personal driving satisfaction but they are increasingly antiquated from a race perspective.

I will probably get a 2015/2016 C7 Z51 or C7 ZO6 in the next year and it will likely have a 7 speed. But that is because I love driving a stick, not because I suffer from some delusion that an automatic would be a slower alternative.

Further, it increasingly seems that the 2016 C7 may just be the last Corvette equipped with a manual transmission. I've also driven the new C7 8 speed auto and in most respects it is just about the equal of any DCT I've driven. But, by your logic, I guess all 2017 and newer Corvettes will be relegated to parade laps?

rkhegler

I am too old for that stuff anymore. I just drive for pleasure. (Occasionally, I kick some Mustang's butt off the line at a stop sign)

stingraymyway

If you get in touch with him, just PM me.