Because touch screens tend to require visual confirmation of what you're pressing - along with some reasonable expectation of accuracy in actually pressing the thing you're trying to press. They work fine in nearly stopped traffic or long clear highways, but trying to press a button at arm's length while being moved…

Nope. This was developed by Aston. Some electrical components, switchgear, and the 4.0L biturbo are the only things shared with Mercedes. 

Very sarcastic. There are no 400 hp cars that absolutely need automatics.

“handicap” to track times? Correct. But driving around town for kicks and giggles as a daily driver? The stick is awesome, no handicap at all.

What IS the purpose of a 400hp hot hatch that can’t be fulfilled with the stick option? Plenty of 400+ powered cars (not necessarily hot hatches) with the stick option: M3, M2, 911 GT3 come to mind.

no one wants to drive around in a Golf R that sounds like a WRC car

Tiff’s 66 years old. You want affable, can really drive? JENSON BUTTON.

Guy Martin. Racer. TV Star. Proper Bloke.

My vote: Tiff Needell.

You mean like the Focus RS? I didn’t see anyone complaining about that.

I run damn near 2 bar in my 2.0 and yes, yes I do want to shift it manually.

And if I purchased my vehicles based on pure on-track performance I’d never own another manual... but that’s not really the point. (for me)

You forgot to add the styling differences between the two. One you have to explain when others see you driving it, the other just looks like a Golf.

I’m not saying get rid of the DSG. The track stars and millennials (I kid, I kid), can still have their two pedals. But I think there’s a market for a traditional stick in this kind of car. Hot hatch people aren’t all about the best numbers, or quickest lap times.

The Lamborghini Diablo had a manual gearbox and that definitely has more than 400hp.

400 is a pretty low number by today’s standards. Most hot hatches are already in the 300-350 range, muscle cars are nearing 500, sport sedans are hovering around 600, and any self-respecting supercar has 700+.

What purpose? Why can’t a 400 hp performance car have a traditional stick shift? I’d be much happier with that, personally. Even if every performance metric suffers as a consequence.

A turned-up Golf R would put it competitively with the Honda Civic Type R

( VW reliability+2.0 engine+400hp)+6 year warranty = who cares.