Maybe, for people with an inferiority complex.

I’ll concede that the base models were terrible at any time.

That is AMAZING!! :) I had to image search it to have any idea what it is. I’ve never even heard of Zoids before.

My Boxster was way more practical than my 911 is. The trunk in the Cayman isn’t quite as wide, but I’d imagine it’s still much easier to get stuff into than the weird carpeted void behind the non-folding seats I’ve got now.

Aww. I’ve got a fondness for j-bodies. Up until the 3rd generation they really weren’t bad at all. And the 3rd gen was perfectly respectable when it was introduced. It’s just that they should have replaced it after 5 years or so instead of 10.

There’s traffic on a race track.

You’re a beginner and have no use for auto-rev-matching.

LOL!!  With a manual, your engine just goes BOOM.  :)

LOL! You’re arguing the merits of rev-matching but don’t know what heel-toe is??

On mine, it’s off by default. I normally leave it that way on the street, but usually turn it on when I go out on the track. I’ve done sessions with it off while working on improving my heel-toe. I’ve turned it on for the street when I’m just hooning around and love the noise it makes.

It’s a thing that definitely happens. Dale Jr. did it in a race. AJ Allmendinger did it in a race this year.  Those guys know how to drive.  Mistakes happen.

If it’ll save me from blowing up my engine after I’ve already made the mistake of choosing the wrong gear... why the heck not??

I drive a manual JK Wrangler. The shifter flapping around like it’s having some sort of seizure is all part of its charm.

Does the same hold true for cable shifters or have those always been a thing for when the transmission isn’t right under the middle of the car?

This is already a thing. This isn’t about the clutch. It’s about the throttle control and most cars already have electronic throttle control. This is what allows auto-rev-matching and, by the same mechanism, no-lift shifting.

That’s not a fair comparison.  Race car clutches are very, very different.

This was my initial thought as well but I don’t think it has to be. You’d be surprised at how much of the “pedal feel” is actually your whole body feeling the car reacting to your pedal movement.

Automatic manual clutch??

Sure. And if you like the look of it better, then by all means buy one. I mean... the Fiata is by all accounts a fantastic car BECAUSE it’s a Mazda.

How do people do this stuff and not expect to be caught? It HAS to collapse.