[frankiebones]

One of the great things about driving a manual/6MT is knowing that you are, at this point, in a very exclusive club of purists and dedicated drivers. It goes without saying that 6MT drivers are the better drivers (and the better looking drivers).

Reflecting on the barrage of information these past 3 weeks, my favorite takeaway is that due to the way the models are split, with the Base getting the 6MT and the silver M3/M4 badge, and the Competition getting the 8AT and the Black M3/M4 badge, it is now possible to tell from a distance whether a car is a 6MT or a slush box.

Some of us may get black M3/M4 badges but I don't think any of us with disgrace our 6MT purchase with a Competition Badge.

Then again, we will also be easily discernable from the 8AT crowd because we'll be a quarter mile behind them in any race.