B's Z06

I'm in the market for a 2018 Z06, but I'm really torn between an automatic or manual transmission. I've always had a manual, but I hear the automatic is faster. I'm looking for pros/cons, and are any of you unhappy with the choice you made?

Rsaodom

I've had 3 C7's. Two autos and one M7. Had a base A8, Z51 m7, and now a Z06 A8. Really enjoyed rowing through the gears, but for most driving I like the auto best. The new trans is not the slushbox they used to be. Personal preference for me is the auto, but I don't track the car so ymmv.

Mlcn62

I drive a manual Mustang GT, and a manual Hyundai Veloster rally edition as my daily drivers, I don't have much traffic to deal with on my commute. I bought the 2017 ZO6 with the auto, because it's quicker and I do plan to track it. I didn't buy anything extra on it. Because my other cars have all that I need. It just comes down to preference and what you bought it for. If it's your daily driver then the auto is the way to go in bumper to bumper traffic. If it's a garage queen and you don't plan to track and just pose in it for friends and family on the weekend, then get the manual.

Z07Shark

I've been wondering the same thing recently for when I make my purchase. I've been leaning toward an automatic, but the question I have about it is if it automatically downshifts by itself when slowing down in manual (paddle shift) mode? I know a lot of cars do when in manual mode, but wondered if the Z was the same?

Connman

I have a manual... There are many times I'd like to drive it but choose not to because of LA/SoCal freeway traffic. Engaging the clutch 600 times in constant stop-go-stop-crawl-stop-go traffic pretty much blows....
If I had it to do all over again...I'd go with the auto.

Garret

tons of threads on this, maybe do a search.. But with that said, traffic and a daily driver auto, otherwise M7....pretty easy decision.

Warp Factor

It will, if you go slow enough. For example, if you come to a stop, it will automatically start out in first (our other cars will not, might start in 2nd or 3rd). And if you command a shift the car isn't happy with, either up or down, it will display a message saying "shift denied". Gave me a chuckle the first few times I got that message.

Torch Red Z06

No, the A8 doesn't automatically downshift in manual mode. When you come to a stop it will automatically shift into 1st. The DCT cars automatically downshift as speed decreases in manual mode. I wish our A8 did the same.

boraxman

Personally I would steer clear of the A8 completely...do some research.

2014 A6 is the only auto I would get in the C7.

Thomasmoto

I bought a 15 M7 drove it 3 months and sold it and ordered my current 16 A8 and love it! That was about a 30K lesson learned.

FastestBusaAround

Do you even have a C7 Z06? If not, GTFOD and stop posting **** you obviously know nothing about. This is the Z06 board...not the Z06 dissing board. In case you don't understand what that means, it's for people who either own, or want to own a Z06...and who are interested in knowing more about the car, good or bad. Your comments are baseless and are of ZERO help to the OP, or anyone else here. You're a troll.

@ the OP...auto IS faster...unless you're that one in a million driver that can beat the A8. The A8 does everything the M7 does, but without the rowing. You can leave it in D...or paddle shift at will...and force it back to D at will, all without taking your hands off the wheel, as you please.

The A8 has a few odd quirks, but they are really few and very minor...and nothing that should stop a buyer from buying an auto C7Z. It's my weapon of choice, and while my PDK's are better (and much more $$$), the A8 is still a very decent piece of hardware, and then some.

I have several high performance cars, some with auto and some with stick...and my last Z06 was stick. I wouldn't buy an M7 today, only because I prefer the A8 for traffic...and it is less work overall, obviously.

It is reliable and robust. YMMV and it is a personal choice though...

boraxman

No don't own one, haven't and wouldn't...JMO...Hope yours stays issue free/

ZZZo6

I have a 2016 with A8, I love it. Smooth and fast!

C7/Z06 Man

Let me first say that I was in the 'bracket wars' for years rowing a stick on and off the track. I now own a 15 Z06 'A8', that I 'ordered' which cost more than the standard stick. Was it worth it and .....

Would I do it again? YES.

pkincy

Don't take this personally as I have a history of "rolling my eyes" at people that can't make a simple move with the little finger of their left hand every so often to affect a downshift. Just a left pinky pull and you are down a gear. And if you need to go down 3 or 4 gears as you slow down quickly do a quick 2 pulls with the pinky finger and hold it closed on the second pull and the A8 will drop to the lowest gear it can safely engage given your speed when you do the double pull. The other cool thing about this is it rev matches as it downshifts and everybody around you starts wishing they were you particularly if you have the exhaust baffles open.

Additionally both Audi Engr and BMW M bosses have made statements that the torque converter A8s will take over for DCTs in their cars. Look at the Audi 2018 offerings with A8s rather than DCTs. So if you must have a DCT buy one used or buy one quickly.

383vett

2016 A8. Great for street or strip.

why1504

I have never owned any sports car with an auto until now. Honestly the main reason I ordered it with the auto was so that my wife would feel comfortable driving the car.

After 1200 miles I must say I enjoy paddle shifting as much as running the clutch and it is nice to be able to put the car in D and just drive it. I drive my car hard and have found the auto to be an asset not a detriment.

I don't see buying another new car in my lifetime with a manual.

2017ZO6

2017 A8. You can't go wrong. Super fast shifts and a blast to drive. If you are into drag racing the auto is the way to go. If you just want to have fun and don't mind losing to an auto Z06 then get the manual.

HighBeta

The A8 does shift much faster than the M7. Adding the paddle shifting offers the level of control that someone coming from a manual would want to have.

The issue that pushed me to the A8 was the fact that 650/650 builds revs so fast that the car was constantly waiting for me to row through the gears. It was pretty funny, in many ways.

The A8 is a good unit. It's "smoother" than a DCT but not quite as fast to shift. The pull on the paddles is longer than I want it to be and there is ever so slight pause between the pull and the shift. Took me a while to get used to it, but its tolerable.

The key issues that define the major differences between the M7 and the A8 come down to track ops and cooling. The A8 heat exchanger, radiator if you will, occupies a space on the "floor" of the enginr bay, which space is used as a much needed secondary engine water + oil cooler in M7 cars. While many people can drive the A8 successfully on many tracks, the more consistently trouble free (where trouble is defined as excess temps), the more consistently trouble free track experiences go to the M7 cars with the secondary radiator.

There are reports of M7 cars popping out of gear and there are reports of A8s experiencing a few issues of their own.

Suggestion? You want to track the car? M7. You want to run it at the strip? A8.
You want to just run a canyon or a back road or hold somebody's hand while you enjoy the ride from Point A to Point B? A8.

I enjoy the A8 more than I enjoyed my M6 in my C6Z.

YMMV.

Ltrain925

You seriously need to go drive both, don't listen to anyone in the forum, just go drive both of them. You'll know within 5 minutes of a test drive what suits you better. Everyone on the forum has a different opinion and a different background of cars they've driven. While it's nice to get opinions (I like them myself) you truely can't make this decision until you experience the car for yourself first hand.