XenChi

I'd say it's personal preference. I just drove the automatic and I was quite thrilled by it's performance. But if I had the full use of my faculties (I have degenerative arthritis in my left knee at age 32) I wouldn't even consider anything other than standard. But again that would just be personal preference. I found there to be nothing considerably wrong with this car in automatic form. The BMW 335i is a different story, when I drove that one (in auto form of course) I didn't like it because it was too..... calming? It felt as if I should be cruising more so than enjoying the rigors of its manual-matic mode. I want to be instigated, and I believe I may have found my poison in the 370. Others may have a completely different outcome.

So take your time and experience both, I truly believe the only person whom can answer your question to your satisfaction........... is you.

Best of luck.