A Manual, since it is a direct connection to the wheels (using a clutch) should produce more horsepower to the wheel vs. an Automatic (which uses a torque converter, a.k.a. slush box). So if you notice when you drive auto, you push the pedal a certain degree, and the RPM's slowly rise until it's steady (that's if u force the gear to stay and not change), whereas the manual will jump towards the RPM instead of slowly rising to it.

What does it all mean then? Well an automatic should have slower pickup vs. the manual, however with new technology, that gap has been closed. The other thing you have to deal with when comparing auto and manual is the driver. If the drive can't hit the shifts and doesn't know how to launch, then the point is moot.

However Daimler-Chrysler claims that the CrossFire is the same pickup regardless of the tranny.