auto owners.

[GuidoK]

no no no no no......
the 1.8 is a 2.0, just like the 2.8...
The 2.3 is a 2.5 and the 3.0 and 3.5 are both 3.0
Makes perfectly sense.....
2.0 is also a 2.0....

[jimmybell]

You start a drag race with your foot on the brake? :p

In 'real life' driving, yes I do. I'm talking about just beating someone away from the lights, not sitting there eyeing each other up whilst revving the engine and having a full on race

Well, if you're driving an auto then yes you do, clearly.

[MACK]

no no no no no......
the 1.8 is a 2.0, just like the 2.8...
The 2.3 is a 2.5 and the 3.0 and 3.5 are both 3.0
Makes perfectly sense.....
2.0 is also a 2.0....

Makes an 18i an attractive proposition, a remap and some bigger front discs and calipers instant 28i.

[Bing]

I'm with GuidoK, a lot of the comments seem to imply that it's just too hard to drive a manual well. Come on, it's not really is it? I can't recall ever having a problem getting off the line quickly, the only thing that can hinder is the TC in its fully on state. Switching to DSC makes a marked difference, albeit I now have an LSD too...

Not all clutches & gearboxes are alike though try a swift , smooth & rapid start with a ZM that doesn't involve much noise & strange smells slick they aint , by comparison my sons Scirocco R manual just rips away smooth as you like

Getting rid of the CDV, Sport on DSC off helps

[Huz-z]

Getting back to the original question, this Canadian reviewer really liked the automatic transmission fitted to an E85 3.0si:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H0jJy_tqWE

[Rusky]

Just throwing this in and people will disagree but having experienced (owned) all three then here goes.
Manual = clunky, terrible 1st gear pull away CDV
Auto = smooth carefree driving, can sometimes change gear when you dont want it too. Pushing the stick left has the effect of knocking it down a gear.
Smg. Not everyones cup of tea but if driven correctly gives a sporty feel to the car is silky smooth but an auto it is not.

[Beedub]

although I'm not really trying to compare to the manual....

now a couple have mentioned it and as I've said before the gearshift is one of the things i love most about the ///M... its positive, i can snap the shifts as quick as i like, and it feels REALLY nice to use... i dont have CDV, nor did i think it made a big diff, i do have complete drive train suspension upgrades. Never agreed with the common word Re the manual box being a pig at times.... love mine.

i want the auto for the everyday z4 experience.

The manual will always be the TOY weekend fun setup...

[Huz-z]

Its hard to find fault with a plan that sees the garage housing a manual shift Z4M for weekends and an automatic Z4 3.0SI for day to day driving.

Enjoy!

[cj10jeeper]

Its hard to find fault with a plan that sees the garage housing a manual shift Z4M for weekends and an automatic Z4 3.0SI for day to day driving.

Enjoy!

Especially when it's a 500+ hp supercharged engineering tour de force