[GuidoK]

I've just done some mountain pass hooning in the austrian and italian alps last month in the g29 M40i (I think the natural habitat for these kinds of cars...all the hairdressers seem to go on vacation in this region....), and it's a very good chassis and pretty good engine (this one was lightly tuned to I believe 420hp or so...not very good for the fuel economy...11mpg average and gasoline is of course quite a bit more expensive in europe at $8,20/gallon).
But a manual would indeed be much more fun, and that's what it's all about with these cars.
I hope, if a manual comes, it'll also come to europe.

I don't understand why manuals becoming extinct in these kinds of cars. Look at how much of a premium they fetch in some sportscars on the 2nd hand market.