I will be the first to admit that being able to mash the gas and just flip the gear paddle as you hurtle forward would be "awesome" and "fun".... for about 30 minutes...
There is nothing like the pure "driving enjoyment" of a well timed series of manual upshifts as you try eek the maximum potential out of a fully manual automobile.
Truth be told, an "average weekend Joe" like most of us, would be equally slow in either car