A forum riot over paddle-shifting?? Great!! I'm with Le Chef on this one, 100%. Without my left foot managing the engagement of the engine to the drive wheels, I feel like I'm racing from the back of a limo... "Jeeves? Oh Jeeves!!! Could you please serve up an upshift right away? Chop-chop!!"

It's faster, but it's a step backward from the "man & machine" experience, where you control all aspects of power delivery.

I think drive-by-wire bites a big weenie too, although Porsche's calibrating is better than most. I can always tell that there's an "interface" between me and my throttle-body, and it pi$$es me off.

Technology isn't always the avenue toward superiority, when it comes to physical experience and adreneline. Remember the "Orgasmatron" from Woody Allen's Sleeper?? It was hilarious in theory, but the way you hear folks lauding the "electronifying" of their driving experiences, you'd have to imagine that there exists a strong market for such a chamber these days...

Anyhow, there's a big difference between technologies that enhance the act of driving a sports car, and technologies that eliminate control-aspects of driving a sports car. Call me an old-fart at age 39, but I don't giggle like grade-schooler when a small android hooked to my throwout bearing and shift linkage takes over the "too challenging for mere mortals" stuff for me. The "isn't that clever" effect fades in a matter of one lap. Maybe if I was being chased by Imperial forces I'd appreciate R2D2's assistance, but when I'm just out for fun, he needs to just sit back there and keep to himself, or I'll jetison the sucker...