Years ago, I used to drag race a 70 Dodge Challenger. Had two of them, one a 383 four speed and the other a 340 Six Pack A727 Automatic. As much as my ego disliked it, I found the Automatic car was a full second faster, and the difference came after the 60' mark even though the bigger engine delivered 45 more HP. It's all in the shifting and keeping power applied at the right point.
Your experience is not unique.
Many egos have been bruised by those who thought they could be quicker and faster with a manual trans.
And the attitude was supported by the fact that, in the past, the general rule of thumb was that an automatic would sap 15-18 % of the engines HP due to parasitic losses.
However with improved converter technology, lock up clutches with carbon fiber discs, programmable electronic shift solenoids, and computer management... the automatics have reduced those losses dramatically with today's transmissions.
Perhaps most importantly, the introduction of 6-10 speed automatics have allowed the engines to remain closer to the torque peak when shifting with far less rpm drop.
This allows them to stay in their ideal power band longer and recover more quickly when shifted.
Today...particularly in a straight line...the automatics are clearly quicker and in many cases faster even though there remains some efficiency loss at the converter.
Even traditional road racing where manuals have traditionally been superior is being challenged by new automatic technology with lockup converters and electronic paddle shifters allowing programmable upshift and downshifts where the engines braking energy can be managed electronically to avoid shock loading the tires while effectively decelerating the car.
The ability to drive quickly is being transferred from the driver...to the programmer... in conjunction with real-time sensors.
Some manual advocates would argue that the manuals are more fun to drive. In most cases today...they are right.
However programmable paddle shifters will still retain the control that most drivers enjoy.
Instead of a manual, mechanical connection to the transfer of power to the ground, it will be an electronic programmable interface.
If you have ever driven a modern paddle shift automatic hard...you soon realize that traditional manual transmissions will...in the near future...be pass'e.
