so basically the automatic trans needs for better performance over a stick is; proper gearing of final drive gear, adjusting the valve body solenoids for higher line pressures, and a correct stall speed converter. All of this can be done on most mass produced auto trannies. SO here we are again the Automatic is a better setup for a boosted motor. As long as you know how to tune it to work in conjunction with the power band you will have the advantage over all the manual cars with same hp.

 

mmm not that simple... that kind of work even on a lowly 4 speed automatic will run about 2 - 5 grand mattering on what brand ...

also drivetrain loss is 5 - 10% higher on a automatic than manual so there is that to fight against...

so why not go with a stick and a high performance clutch for $600 - $1,000 dollars and whip the automatics *** ? so long as the car is pushing less than 400 hp on a 3k lb package ... its the way to go ...

but i see your point, it just really only starts to make sense when you get UP UP there in the power levels and dropping that kind of change on a tranny build up seems trivial compared to the rest of the investment ...

however 80% of the production vehicles out there i'd still take the stick over the auto ... cause they will never be practical at the power levels it would make sense to chose the auto at...

 

to add to that... i'd chose the auto if i had to chose stick or auto for a race with 99% of the drivers out there swear they know how to drive stick hehehe...

given example...

450 hp SRT-4 vs 300 hp SRT-4...

both owned by my friends ... one is a extremely great driver that knows how to maximize the potential out of any car, keeping traction in check, and being very rough on the car in the process ... the other, well, he drove automatics for most of his life and just is not that good with manual yet, but decent.

every time, the 300hp SRT-4 pulled ahead of his 150 hp richer competitor... why ? shift points, traction being kept in check with clutch modulation and slipping, shift speed...

a good driver does NOT lose boost or rpm between shifts with a manual... as most modern turbo cars, the SRT-4 has a wide open throttle shift feature where u can leave the gas mashed in between shifts and it retards the timing to prevent it from over revving ... so if you know what you are doing you get a quick precise shift without having to rebuild boost and no rpm lost... if you are a novice you get a 450hp srt-4 that can't keep up... if the car does not come equipped with a "anti-lag" setup (official term for the wot shift feature in tuning world) it would not be very expensive to add compared to a automatic tranny buildup...

it all comes down to driver skill in the end ... automatics win for consistency in my book ... stick shift win for low parasitic drivetrain loss, instant torque transfer, and overall strength...

BTW... my brother feels the same way you do and we have had this conversation often... hence me driving a 6 speed crossfire and him a 5 speed auto crossfire... hehe to each his own...

 

Straight race would be close, but at the track the Xfire would take it. The GTI is not much of a handler -- There was one at the track the other day and I was carrying much more speed into the corners.

 

This just in...Car & Driver's May 2007 issue, published a 14.5 sec. 95 mph 1/4 mile in a GTI. Looks as though it probably will take a Crossfire at the drags.

 

yeah but that's a magazine car, its not a GTI purchased off the dealer lot. big difference.

 

You're not implying they got a "ringer" are you.

Actually, every new car that I've purchased, I've been able to either match or better the times the magazines posted in their road tests. At least on a dozen or so that I eventually took to the drags, out of the 19 "new" cars that I've purchased in the last 37 years.

 

Did some mathematics.
I have 18 "new" cars and 31 years to catch up with you.
Not fair. You started off earlier.

On an important note: Hats off to your priceless knowledge. (",)

 

when i was on a test drive in a none supercharged crossfire 2006 … a youngster flew by me in a hatchback gti, i caught up to him at the red light we took off i pulled him outta the hole, he passed me up fairly close. tried again, he began to pull away but i began to run him down ...
at last we were side by side rolling 10 mph i turned it up dropped the clutch shifted and blew him away wow that was fun ...
no kidding that car is something to rekon with ... i was driving a none srt-6 just stock …
this was before i bought the '05 srt-6, i think i could have beat him in my car ...

but they are bad !

 

they are slowww... a full second slower than my mazdaspeed 3 for the same price.