Former Indy driver, Spring Mountain instructor Richie Hearn said he prefers the M7 ZR1, when I was there last week, despite the auto being slightly faster. ~80% of the 25 or so ZR1’s they have are M7’s.. If you are planning to use the car as a daily driver in heavy city traffic, that would tilt the scale toward the A8 however. I am just not a huge fan of auto transmissions with torque converters. The fluid creats somewhat of a disconnect feeling IMO... and the downshifts especially arent as crisp... the A8 is a excellent quick shifting auto, but its no direct shift dual clutch transmission (like a PDK in a Porsche). We will see that for the first time in the C8. I would recommend getting the manual. I enjoy mine immensely. But much of this is subjective. I believe around 70-80% of C7 ZR1s built have the A8. Obviously, the majority of buyers prefer it. Either way, I think you’ll love the car. If I were you, I’d just go with your own preference.

I posted this a few months ago and my car is arriving any day now with the M7…

After reading all the posts on the A8 vs M7 I really began questioning my ZR1 order with the A8. I would also point out that I am hotroder whose previous and current cars were all manuals, M22's, T10's and both of my current C3 customs are Tremecs. I thought that I was ready to give up the shifting, and focus more on driving with both hands on the wheel but it dawned on me that what if I put the A8 in the Z and I didn't like it, then what? drive my 72 when I want to DRIVE...or it proves to have issues like the previous A8 vettes. I had until Saturday to make my decision. So today my dealer here in VA. was kind enough to let me test drive two Z06's today.

I am not a professional driver, and all of my previous cars were antiques compared to the Z06, my previous driving experience in a new vette was a friends GS. with less HP than my 80 or the 72. I drive pretty hard and give my current cars a good ringing out whenever possible. i jumped on the chance to drive both today.
I drove the A8 first. The automatic performed really nice and we did some spirited back road driving and it felt fantastic. I was impressed as it was my first time in 650-hp auto car that doesn't have to go in a straight line. I went to manual mode and this being my first experience with paddle shifting I thought It performed pretty well but I did find myself wanting it too react quicker and I was already missing the exhaust notes that a manual creates. I like to hear my cars and motorcycles, they are all loud. I returned the A8 with a new respect for a high hp auto street car.


Then I got the M7 car out on the road and immediately felt more at home shifting the car and was way more connected to the car. I didn't push the manual as hard as the A8 not knowing all the of the cars tendencies. The rev matching was pretty nice as you downshift too. obviously, the clutch and shifting feel is fantastic and super easy compared to other cars I've owned. I know the critics of the M7 for its use in 1/4 and 1/8 mile, but it is much much more of a track car not a drag car. I will also "suffer with it traffic jams" to enjoy really driving the car. So for me M7 without hesitation after driving both back to back today. My recommendation to all is that if you've had manuals before and still like to row the gears forget about the A8- its just not worth it.
Hope this helps those that are still undecided and don't care about 1/4 mile times as much as driving a great car.
The auto is nice, it's just not for me!

While I truly like the 7 sp DSG dual clutch tranny in my 2012 4.2L 8250 rpm redlinev 450 hp V8 Audi RS5 (prev gen) it’s mostly because the engine only makes 317 ft lbs of torque. The paddle shift dual clutch makes sure I’m not continually bouncing off the rev limiter in this quick reving nat asp engine. The LT5 is a TORQUE GODZILLA.. the power band is so wide, that I did more laps at Spring Mtn just staying in 4th gear to eliminate that element from my concentration to improve my driving technique, than shifting between 3rd and 4th. Instructor Richie Hearn told me that Spring Mtn gets contracted to do lots of road course training for NASCAR drivers. One of the techniques they use to teach them to be smooth and carry momentum through the corners, is to require them to do laps only in 4th. The car pulls hard coming out of tight corners in 4th.!!!!!!!! If you buy the manual and treat it more as a road course car, and want the most involvement I believe the manual trans will be more fun (which is what I think most of us bought the car for). If you have never driven a car with rev match, prepare to get the giggles every time you downshift. If you are more concerned about off the line 0-whatever speeds, the auto will win every time. But if you really plan to spend a lot of time at the dragstrip, best to get a set of rear 18inch drag radials, because the 20 inch run flat stiff sidewall tires that come on the car are not ideal for drag racing. I thought my Callaway SC606 (also manual) had ample torque until I got this monster. You can short shift it at 5 grand and still get a class E ticket ride. (For you youngsters out there, those were the tickets needed for the biggest thrill rides at Disneyland many many years ago). .

On this 2.2 mile track, using 3rd and 4th with a very short time in 5th in the back straight, is the fastest way around. Because I cant chew gum and walk at the same time, I followed Richies suggestion to concentrate on braking technique, turn in, hitting the apex, balancing through the transition snd then smooth power on. I was making faster laps in 4th than with shifting because I was executing the elements of turning better. My point for mentioning this, is that the power band of the LT5 is so flat and wide, that it was possible, even instructor recommrnded, to practice propper technique just staying in one gear on a very tight cornered technical course. On twisty county roads, Im shifting often, using compression braking into tight corners. The lower speeds are such that weight transfer from hard initial braking then trail braking is not necessary.

Nice that there is a choice. May be the last gen that does. Hell, from what some are saying, it may not be that long before there are no transmissions. .