IMHO....unless I lost one of my arms or legs...I want the manual tranny over the auto any day of the week (and twice on Sundays). In a muscle car, I like to feel like I am driving and not being driven around. However, I will note, if you are a daily driver in traffic, or are a arm and/or leg amputee...then maybe an auto is fine. I do not drag race enough to really know if an auto is better than a manual. But I will say this, when the dust settles, it is your car, and if you prefer an auto, then by all means go for it.