If automatics are supposedly equal to manual transmissions for performance why won't you see an auto in the top race cars? Would there ever be a slush-box in an Enzo, Lamborghini, Carerra GT, or any new Ferrari for that matter? Look how performance/image would be viewed if they mandated autos for NASCAR. Man-trans personify performance and to have a slush-box in a perfromance car is destroying the performance & image. I have a man-trans in my 06 X and it just feels more like I'm a part of my X.

Speaking of diesels, has anyone heard when we might see a 1 series diesel in America? I did a "build" of a 1 & 3 series on the BMW USA site and did you realize that cruise control is an option on the base 3 series but it's standard on the base 1 series?

Same reason the e39 has crappy afterthought cupholders. They didn't think anybody needed them.

But you don't believe there is some economic component to the origins of this?

The retro-fitting of all the facotries and re-design costs associated with switching transmissions, when automatic transmission came out, would have been a big deterant. It then it becomes indicative of the culture.

I still believe there are certain economic factors involved today in some places.

Look at the money the car manufacturers make on auto transmissions. By the time you figure in the clutch, linkage, flywheel, pressure plate, throwout bearings and everything else that goes along with a man-trans do you really think it COSTS $1000-$2000 more for them to manufacture an auto trans?