The odometer on our 1991 Alfa Romeo Spider S4 just turned 28,000 (original) miles.
I purchased the car on January 16, 2022, from an eBay auction.
I’ll always remember hitting the “buy it now” button, as that happened at the exact same time our 1971 Citroën DS21 (which had broken down on Interstate 84 as it was growing dark), was being winched onto a flat bed. Why does that not seem unusual to me?
The Alfa had 21,917 miles on it when it arrived in Portland.
During the ensuing three years and 10 months, we have put just over 6,000 miles on it. During my son Bradley’s high-school years, it was his favorite car for top-down, summertime dates.
I’ve had a variety of Alfas over the years, from a 750 Giulietta Spider Veloce race car to a 1956 three-window 1900 CSS I drove in the Mille Miglia in 1994.
Oddly enough, even though the S4 has an anachronistic 3-speed automatic, and is softened by power steering, power brakes and A/C (and a chassis that might be nicknamed “flex”), it’s still an Alfa.
It’s not a car you want to push hard. But it’s a grand cruiser at 70 mph, and it was perfect for this past weekend’s 150-mile round trip to Garibaldi, on the Oregon coast.
When I’m driving automatics, I am constantly reminded that the shifting from the lowest gear to the highest often takes place as you are getting onto a highway, and is over in a few seconds. The rest of the time is spent cruising in top gear. And when you are cruising, what matters the most is that you are comfortable.
Once again, this least sporty of my Alfas has proven to be the easiest to live with, and my car of choice for casual day trips.
I look forward to the next 6,000 miles.
Do you think you could ever be truly satisfied by a sports car with an automatic transmission? Please share your thoughts below.
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12 responses to “Keith’s Blog: Could You Really Love an Automatic?”
Keith,
Yes, I could easily be completely satisfied driving a sports car with an automatic transmission. As I mentioned in previous comment in another great article of yours (The Porsche Tiptronic saga article, perhaps?), an automatic is a godsend driving in Brooklyn, NY which is a deathmatch at this point.
Going down any given block, there will be cars double-parked on both sides of the street, turning the street into an obstacle course. While driving around the double-parked cars, you have to be careful to avoid bicyclists and people on electric scooters.
Then there are people wandering into the middle of the streets who are definitely under the influence of illicit substances and do not care if there are oncoming cars. I had to incredibly short two weeks ago when of these people flying on God-knows-what just jumped in front of my car at an intersection of moving traffic, ensuring that I smashed my head on the windshield, and leaving a nice cut.
Of course, then we also have all the other drivers who ignore stop signs, and the latest trend of making red lights strictly optional. In addition, all the illegal U-turns on major streets and avenues are also a major treat, especially when their car is heading straight at you.
No, I don’t need a manual transmission to “be more engaged” with my car, as all this other activity watching my own ass keeps me engaged enough, indeed.
Glenn in Brooklyn, NY.
Yes. For the last three years my only car (near to hand) is a 2023 Mazda CX30 “mild hybrid”. It’s a brilliant car, and I’m reminded of my second Alfa, a 65 Sprint GT, bought in 1973. I truly believe Mazda studied Alfa methods, and made them better.
We are in the final stages of bringing my last Alfa, literally on all points, down to join us in the Colombian Andes. While a small minority of the roads would be suitable for the slightly lowered Alfa, the highway from our home up to the ring-road circling the Volcano del Ruiz, is fresh and infinitely winding up to its pinnacle around 14,000 feet.
The auto-Mazda is a naturally aspirated 2L 4C, with a “sport” setting on the auto trans. My 77 S2 is “what you see is what you get.”
We will find out which gets the job done best, and which is more satisfying. Might not be unanimous.
I also love Mazdas but a CX-30 is in no way a sports car.
Firstly a sports car is a lighter weight open 2 seater, unlike most new “sports cars”. I’d consider most to be GT cars; usually not even available with a standard trans. I find it not much fun driving a heavy automatic car no matter how fast and comfortable it may be. My weekend car is an AMG GTS. But I should have never sold my 6 speed 2005 JCW Mini. I have a series 1 Lotus Elise for fun and shows, and as long as we are able and don’t live in a congested area, real driving is changing our own gears!
I’m 80 and have never driven anything since high school but high performance sport coupes with manual transmissions. Currently driving a 2016 BMW 4 series coupe with a manual that I hope will last me at least another 10 years. If I’m still driving then, I would consider an automatic. (probably all that will be available)
Keith –
Like you, my left foot simply doesn’t work well. I can still drive a stick, but it’s a lot more trouble than it used to be, and it really isn’t 100% safe.
My 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth has the Mazda 6-speed (I think, who counts?) automatic with manual-mode paddles. It’s small and quick, gets great mileage with that tiny turbocharged Chrysler engine, and is an absolute delight to drive on the freeway or on country roads.
I do sometimes miss shifting through the gears, but I’m still pretty happy.
I had no intention of ever owning a E36 M3 with an auto box, until I drove one. Then I bought it. Now it gets more than three times the mileage on it yearly than my 5 speed(both convertibles) does. I’ve found that for 90% of the driving I want to do in a convertible it is simply the better car. For the other ten percent of the time, well I have that covered as too.
For a magical time – albeit brief – I had a ’90 5-speed Ferrari 348TS (not red!). It was an amazing car in many ways, the somewhat balky transmission (2nd gear was unavailable until the car was warmed up) making it what I believed was “true” Ferrari. I would not have bought it had it been a 2-pedal car, although I don’t believe an auto-box was available in those years. I loved it, but learned that I really wasn’t a Ferrari guy – there were just too many times when the destination precluded taking a car of that pedigree (!). But there were some great drives – top out (and left at home), and the sound of that small V-8 singing. Other than a couple of BMW 3-series automatics (not truly a “sports car”), I haven’t driven what you have defined here. Maybe it’s time to go looking for one!
I think the answer lies in what other options you have in your garage. I ended up purchasing a 1956 Jaguar XK140 FHC which had a three speed Borg Warner transmission (one of only 345). Hardly a transmission for a typical “sports car”. I rationalized that I already had a number of cars with manual transmissions and, with the stated purpose of my collection being to give me different driving experiences, the purchase wasn’t a difficult decision. However, somewhat surprisingly, it turned out to be a real joy. Would I drive it every day? Of course not. But, once a month or on occasions where the traffic and conditions dictate an automatic transmission, it is a true delight. In fact, I do love it!
In heavy city rush-hour traffic, an automatic just makes sense.
Your left knee will thank you!
And so will your clutch!
Absolutely. Driving an automatic correctly requires a deft use of the accelerator to obtain the combination of acceleration, speed, and gearing that you prefer at any instant in time. It is as much of an art as smoothly upshifting and downshifting a manual, and it’s great for today’s manic traffic as others have noted.