Is a Manual Faster Than an Automatic? It Depends on How You Define "Fast"

As an avid sim racer and motorsports fan, I get this question a lot – and the answer is far from simple. On paper, modern high-tech automatics would seem to beat out old-school manuals in raw acceleration times. But plenty of enthusiasts still swear by the visceral thrill and control of the stick shift experience. Let‘s dive deeper on the never-ending debate over these two iconic transmission types.

Automatics Are Catching Up, But Haven‘t Closed the Debate

Plain and simple, automatics shift faster than humans. With 5+ gear ratios to play with and lightning-quick computerized actuation, they can swap cogs in milliseconds to keep the engine right in its power sweet spot. Clever programming predicts your driving style and selects the optimal gear accordingly. No foot-clutchin‘ stick shifter can match that pace.

So why doesn‘t every top-fuel dragster or Le Mans prototype racer use an auto box? Tradition for one – but manuals still offer some advantages. Avoiding the torque converter saps less power and gives much finer control over revs for launching and corner exits. Pros can manipulate gears expertly to set up passes or conserve fuel as needed.

Ultimately lap times and standings show the outright performance difference certainly isn‘t black-and-white. Plenty examples exist of stick-shift cars beating out twin-clutch gearboxes, even 25+ year old manual racers staying ahead of today‘s cutting-edge automatics.

There‘s More to "Fast" Than Just Acceleration Times

Benchmark acceleration stats reveal just how close it‘s gotten these days. Jump in say a Porsche PDK or the latest Corvette Z06 packing an auto, and you‘ll blast to 60 mph quicker than 99% of stick-shift exotics. But the numbers don‘t tell the whole experience.

Rowing through the gears yourself is a thrill no algorithm can replicate. The engine screams in sync with your left foot pumping the clutch. Grab another cog with the flick of your wrist exactly when you want more speed. Once mastered, it feels like an extension of your movements, like controlling a weapon in VR.

And that sensation is a drug. Speaking to Lewis Hamilton, F1‘s winningest driver of all time, he pines for the days racing semi-manual paddle shifters:

I miss cocking the clutch and shifting gears…those are the things I do miss.

In his free time he tears up the roads in an old-school manual AC Cobra – hardly what you‘d expect one of the fastest guys on the planet to drive for fun.

Modern Performance Cars Are Defying the Manual‘s Decline

It‘s true that stick shift penetration gets smaller globally each year. They now account for just 2% of sales in sports cars like Corvette, Mustang and 911. But instead of disappearing from factories, premium automakers seem to be doubling down on keeping manuals alive.

Porsche continues to offer a 7-speed manual gearbox option across their entire model range – whether an entry Boxster, mid-engine Cayman or range-topping GT3.

BMW‘s upcoming M3 Touring wagon curses traditional station car blahs by pairing functional family hauling with a RWD chassis, 500+ hp straight six and available 6-speed manual. Sign me up!

The latest generation Nissan Z sports car arrives to universal praise in part by honoring its roots: a turbocharged straight six like the original 240Z plus a manual transmission option. Early reviews lavish praise on the visceral mechanical linkage for those still #SaveTheManuals.

And President Biden got in hot water recently for some rather unflattering (and factually incorrect) comments about stick-shift skills not being useful for "real jobs" nowadays. Thousands of manual faithful took to social to correct him.

So even as slick automatics conquer records and racetracks, the love for row-your-own machines stays loyal. We can thank niche sports car brands for keeping that purist spirit alive when the big guns like Ferrari and Lamborghini long ago went auto-only.