Click here for details and four-speed automatic quick fixes. There was a time when professionals actually raced with automatic transmissions and could beat the manual-transmission crowd. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, the Chrysler TorqueFlite was very efficient, but manual transmissions could be balky and hard to use. Using a high-torque engine like a 440 or Hemi meant that you could afford to lose the tiny amount of power given up by the TorqueFlite in exchange for faster, more consistent shifts. But times have changed.
Shifts tend to be slower.
Meanwhile, manual transmissions have come a long, long way. It is easy now to shift quickly and efficiently with a clutch, and five or six speed transmissions maximize power. Lockup torque converters improve highway economy, but must be disengaged while upshifting. Manual transmissions have minimal power loss because they rely on two plates pressing tightly against each other. The cheapest performance upgrade you can make is to buy your next car with a five-speed, because it costs less and gives more.