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I'm old so I've been driving since 1983. In that time, I've owned 29 vehicles; eleven manuals and 18 autos. The manuals have been everything from a "three on the tree" to modern 6 spds and the autos have been everything from a two speed powerglide to a ZF8. I have driven my 6 spd daily driver for the past 18 years. In addition to those vehicles I've owned, ridden and raced 41 motorcycles, all of which were standard transmissions.
My take on all this is that I do understand the allure and nostalgia for the manual and I think their dissappearance is sad. .....but while it's sad, it's also understandable - automatic transmissions have changed drastically since the 2 spd in my 1967 Cutlass while manuals are mostly the same as the 4spd in my 1979 Z28....albeit with another gear or two.
I won't argue against the "fun factor" of a manual - I'm well aware.....but frankly, I don't miss the clutch when I'm driving the Z4. Maybe I'd feel differently if I didn't currently own 6 other motor vehicles with standard transmissions.
The argument that a current 8 speed, paddle shifted auto or DCT isn't a "real" sportscar is a load of BS IMO and some of the best cars on the planet don't offer a manual.....but I can find no fault in those that still want to "row their own".
As far as the Z4 goes, I have zero interest in a 4cyl Z4 regardless of transmission.
2 cents,
Dave
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