I picked up an 05 SRT-6 recently and like it so much I'm looking to pick up a Lmt Roadster. Unfortunately most seem to have automatics. I forgive the SRT-6 for having an auto because of the pure performance it offers. However I don't know how fun an auto normally-aspirated roadster would be to drive.

Does the auto transmission perform worse than the manual (ie 0-60, 1/4 etc)? I know in some cars the auto actually posts better times/performance. I don't know, I kinda like rowing my own gears. Thanks for the input!

 

So far, my experience is limited. But I can give you my view having recently test driven several NA automatics and now own both an SRT and a stickshift NA.

As you noted, the sheer power of the SRT beast forgives the automatic. I have so far found it to be boring to use the manual shifting of the auto on the srt.

The NA automatic was, at best, convenient. At worst boring. The underpower of the NA engine is very apparent in the automatic driveline. Acceleration is brisk and better than your average car but in the end, mundane.

The stick shift is clunky on this car. Especially the first to second launch. Mildly irritating. After that it is pure joy. The car is very intuitive and if you are at all co-ordinated, you can have a lot of fun in traffic and on back roads, without speeding or recklessness.

The SRT's best moments are at a stop light with an unsuspecting mustang, vette or (ha ha) ricer who thinks he has a rocket. Even playing with such a fool on the interstate can be fun.

But the NA with a stick can be a pleasure at normal speeds on a twisty back road or popping thru traffic at rush hour. The NA with an automatic in traffic is just.....convenient.

My opinions only and they are most definitely biased.


roadster with a stick

 

The AMG autos are bullet proof to say the least. You can treat it like a manual shifting all the time or just leave it in drive. The best of both worlds. But still, I miss not having a manual clutch every now and then. But at the dragstrip, I prefer having full boost at all times with less room for error!

 

We really debated this in the Crossfire we just purchased. We always buy sticks for our sports cars. But considering how the car will be driven, strickly on the road, we started considering autos as well. We drove both. I was a little cramped using the clutch in the shift cars. For us it came down to finding the best used car we could. It turned out to be equipped with an auto. We're happy with it so far. As for our Corvette that does get used for high-speed track days sometimes, we enjoy the stick.

 

I own an SRT6 and a NA with the auto. The NA is for my taste underpowered. So performance wise I don't think having a stick would make that much difference. The auto for around town in heavy traffic is hard to beat. Now I would love to have a manual for the SRT6 but.

 

Around town the auto would be best, I have a NA stick and in town it is a bit of a pain, but I have got used to that even if I drive so little in heavy stop and go traffic. On the highway the gears are fun, the car could do with about 250hp as it is a little anemic. I think my Chrysler 300 (250hp) would leave it at the lights but not for long. When the warranty runs its course I will give it a little boost.
The 6 speed does however have one other benefit for me, my wife cannot drive stick shift and I am not going to teach her either. I would cry if she put curb rash on those wheels, like the 300 has.

 

I've owned both a manual and auto (currently with the auto). I do slightly miss the manual, but with the autostick feature, it makes up for it somewhat. I do like the stopping power that the auto has compared to other autos that I have driven.

 

The signature block tells it all. As a matter of fact, if the SRT6 came with a manual then that's what my roadster would have been. I preferred a stick over the s/c at the time.

Agree with the comment about the sticky 1-2 shift, but it breaks in after a while...or you eventually find the sweet spot. But a two-seat open sports car just has to be a stick, IMHO.

PS - An Audi A6 2.7T (127k) and an Audi A4 3.0, both MT6, also in the stable, and my oldest daughter has my Saturn Vue 5-speed at 158k miles.