Does it have a stick? That answer to that question has long served as a differentiator between a cool car and something more engaging, more enjoyable, and more special. Is there an enthusiast car that’s better with an automatic though? That’s today’s question of the day.
Our lead image is a good example of a car that might sell even better if Toyota would offer it with an automatic gearbox. Despite that, I can tell you that the GR Corolla isn’t just special because of its three pedals, it’s better for them too. What we’re looking for ends up being better without that extra pedal.
In recent years, Porsche has received a lot of positive attention for its lightning fast and responsive PDK automatic gearbox. There’s no question that modern-day automatic gearboxes including dual-clutch ones are much faster to swap cogs than a human could be. That alone can’t make a car better though… control plays a factor too.
Read: 2024 Nissan Z Nismo Won’t Offer A Manual Option, Says Report
Having the ability to select the gear one wants when they want it is key. Despite the very best programming, an automatic gearbox isn’t always going to be in the gear that a human would select. To that end, people want the choice to pick that gear and leave it til they ask for something else.
To me, that makes pseudo-track cars the very best choice for this answer. Something like the Hennessey Venom F5 with its automated manual still counts as not having three pedals. The Ford GT is also only available as an automatic just like the C8 Chevrolet Corvette. Sure, both could be fun with a proper stick shift but it would remove some of the performance edge that each has.
As this question of the day was suggested by Carscoops reader ‘Egg Enthusiast’ we should point out Koenigsegg’s interesting history of non-manual cars. Many use a dual-clutch setup, others use the brand’s own Light-Speed transmission, and still others like the Regera don’t have a transmission at all.
With all of that in mind, you tell us. What’s the one enthusiast car you’d rather have as an automatic rather than as a manual? Let us know in the comments below and vote for your favorites.
