BMW M2 Forum - View Single Post

ORIGIN M. · 08-21-2014, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nachob

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cavpilot2k

I knew I would get some goats with the manual only comment.
And yes, I speak only for myself and a small contingent of diehards.

I like manuals because I feel genuinely more involved via mechanical linkage to the car. I like that I have greater control over the car because it will never upshift or downshift except when I want it to and I have other control advantages via varying degrees of clutch engagement (although that last bit is only useful a small percentage of my driving time). I honestly hate it when an automatic shifts for me uncommanded.

All that should come with the context that I am a helicopter pilot and that direct mechanical linkage with all four appendages is a similar feel. It just makes me feel like a part of the machine in a way that the disconnected autos don't, but that is my personal preference (and that of a small percentage of enthusiasts).

Do modern high-end autos and DCTs outperform manuals? In most cases yes. Why are the high-end cars (Lambos, Ferrarris, etc) going to them almost exclusively? Because they want to eke out every last possible fraction of a second for performance numbers, and because we are an increasingly push-button automated society. The nintendo/playstation generation wants simple, and there is nothing wrong with that. I just prefer to do it myself.

So,

The RS3 is irrelevant for me and lots of others because it won't come in manual. That, and I have yet to drive any audi that had decent steering feel, especially compared to Bimmers.

Yes, I get it...you had me at die-hard!

+1

It's so weird how the automatic crowd doesn't get it? I know they think the same of us but the reality is that we are not buying transportation cars. We are buying fun. If we base our choices strictly on numbers, then we should all own Camrys! I hear stupid things about moms buying SUVs for safety....yet they don't handle that well, have lousy visibility and the fact is, minivans have the least fatalities of any car type! Yet they don't buy minivans because they are not cool.

It's the same principle with auto. We don't care if IT shifts faster because IT is doing the shifting. I want to do the shifting. Also, the greatest advantage is in 0-60 times which means using launch control, where the IT controls wheelspin and IT shifts for you. I don't want a google car that does it for me! There is no pride in a good launch, 0-60 time when you push a button and mash the throttle! I can't understand how that makes anyone happy. It reminds me of Cristiano Ronaldo jumping down and taking his shirt off on a PENALTY KICK! It's a PENALTY KICK! You have a 99% chance of scoring...there is no pride in that but that is what automated cars do. The joy comes from making the beautiful launch and feeling like the car needs you as much as you need it. You need to time your shifts like a drummer and a monkey couldn't do that! But a monkey put in an automatic and given a treat to mash the throttle could do it!

So automatic guys, keep taking your shirts off on penalty kicks but us die hards want to make a beautiful play and score a beautiful goal.