Yup, I have been keeping it in third, and the Trac Control in S. The third gear thing does help quite a bit to keep the motor in a rpm range that is more "spirited"...but still not even close to ideal.

I didn't think the ESP being on or off had any influence on the shift pattern...

The trans, like most auto's these days, are adaptive learners. But I have a problem with that philosophy. If you drive like a grandma more often than not (who wants to romp ALL of the time anyway?), the darn thing adapts to that.

I would prefer a button that has three positions: Normal, spirited, and autocross. Then program the shift algorithm to learn within each of those three. I know it can be done!

Of course with this kind of complexity, one would ask, "Why not just get a manual?"

To which I would reply, "Damn, I wish I could!"

All in all, the auto really isn't that bad. It just simply isn't a manual. And when you fully perfect the art of shifting a manual, well, it is just a beautiful thing that simply can't be matched by an auto!