It wouldn't surprise me if someone wraps their Huracan in that design.

Well, whether the gear changes are commanded via thumb shifters on the front of the steering wheel or paddles behind the wheel, the computer is still doing the shifting, and it's not as involving as using a clutch pedal and changing gears yourself.

One of the things that irks me about automated transmissions is that you end up straddling a very fine line between total gearbox automation and absolute performance by supporting them. I don't know if you read Car and Driver magazine, but they have an annual event at VIR called Lighting Lap. (The event consists of their drivers lapping the newest performance cars to see where they stack up against the competition). Recently they noted that, when trying to set a hot lap in an automatic car, they really have to just put the car in whatever track mode it offers and leave the transmission in D, as modern transmissions have gotten so smart that you hinder the car's ability by trying to shift it manually, even via the paddles.

Also, modern manual transmissions can be shifted very quickly. Know what the fastest car Car and Driver has ever lapped around VIR? A C7 Corvette Z06 with a manual trans. How about the only car that Randy Pobst (of Motor Trend) has driven faster around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca than a new Viper ACR? A Porsche 918 Spyder, which, despite being so much more advanced, only beat the ACR around Laguna Seca by 0.6 seconds. The ACR was quicker around the track than a McLaren P1, and THREE SECONDS faster than a new Corvette Z06 and 911 GT3 RS. So it's not like the manual trans is incapable in today's world! : )

I don't think it's terrible, but I don't think it is anywhere near the Veneno or Reventon.

The type of shifters used makes a big difference as to how involved you feel in the car. Little buttons are massively different than paddles, and using the gear selector to shift (pushing it forward or backward) also is different than using paddles. Plus the paddle/gear selector travel also makes a difference too, in my opinion. The GranTurismo felt like you had to pull the paddle a mile before it clicked, which honestly made it feel more powerful and like I was more in control. The PDK requires much less force and distance before shifting gears.

That fine line isn't necessarily a bad thing. It means that you can enjoy the feeling of selecting the gears yourself or you can get the absolute best times possible.

I don't care how manual transmission cars compare to other models of cars that use automatics. That makes absolutely no difference as it's like comparing apples and oranges. A better comparison would be of a manual Z06 compared to an automatic Z06. A 918, while a great car, is not a hardcore, stripped out race car like the the ACR is. It may not be incapable, but think of how much more capable it could have been.