6MT vs 7AT and the Track/Auto X

JoeD

Yeah...no. Sources show VW's DSG to have a shift-time of only 8 milliseconds, while BMW's SMG supposedly shifts in 80 milliseconds. A conventional automatic like the one in the Z will come anywhere near that.

Besides...too much importance is placed on shift-time. A competent driver operating a clutch and gear-lever can shift quick enough to where it doesn't matter, even when not trying to shift mad qu1ck. 400 milliseconds, or 100, or 50, or 3...who cares. At this point, you are marginally effecting straight-line acceleration. What matters is control over gear-selection, where in that case there is no comparison between a manual and conventional auto.

As mentioned above...gimme a stick and a clutch-pedal. There is no replacement for it when talking about sports-cars. I will always opt for it whenever it's available for a given model.

This is the first time I've seen a conventional automatic be defended to this level in a sports-car. Had the auto been a dual-clutch or sequential-style setup, and then we'll have an argument.