It's been clear for years that a DCT is a faster performing transmission. This is the reason why Ferrari stopped offering manuals after the California six years ago, in addition to a wider customer base and increase in profits. Nissan also took this route with the current R35 GT-R, commissioning the same company who made the auto for the Veyron for their's, much to the dismay of many import fans around the world. A friend of mine was so disappointed in this that he went out and purchased a R32 Skyline GT-R. He just couldn't fathom an automatic Godzilla.



While a DCT is faster, it is a fact that the demands on the driver are less, especially when entering a corner at high speeds, when the mastery controlling the steering wheel, shifter and all three pedals are required. Im not saying DCTs are bad, just that they are not for everyone, yet are for the majority of consumers.



Most enthusiast, not all, want a true manual transmission. I for one am not clamoring for Honda to offer a DCT on the Si, not because of love for manual transmissions, but because it can signal the end of the 6 speed sooner rather than later. It would go without saying that a DCT may outsell the 6 speed manual, which would encourage the production of less row-it-yourself Sis, and inevitably the complete exclusion of them. It would be a shame for this to happen.



At the same time, there are so many other vehicles that a offer a DCT (like the GTI), that it would be fitting for Honda to keep the Si pure, as it has been since the beginning.



I wonder if everyone on the forums has driven a manual Honda product. Whether its a Civic Si, ILX 2.4, TL or the S2K, you would have, without a doubt, experienced the best manual transmissions in the world, regardless of price.



In the words of Motor Trend's time attack driver, Randy Pobst, when he test drove the 2014 Civic Si, “Absolutely, it’s fabulous. The only thing wrong with it is it’ll spoil them because it shifts so well. What’s neat is it shifts. It still has a manual — a real, live manual — and a very good one. I enjoy that so much. I miss it when I drive cars with the modern versions of different automatics. Although, I’ll tell you the shifts are still so much slower than a modern automatic. That has to cost time (lap time).”



Yes, DCTs are faster, but they will never replaced the full experience of a real manual transmission.