I currently own a 00 Formula that I bought while I was deployed. It is a manual and it was the only way I was going to buy a sports car. I have never driven a Fbody manual prior to that but I had drove an auto previously about 2-3 times and that made my choice right then. I hadnt drove a manual in over 4 years by the time my midtour leave came around yet I could NOT wait to get in that car and have fun. Did I have to reteach myself how to drive a stick? Yes. Was it fun? HELL YES.
To me an auto robs you of most of the fun. Its just that connected feeling that you get when you know that you control the car and what its doing. The feeling of downshifting from say 5th to 3rd at 45ish and then letting all hell loose is one of a kind. With an auto you just mash the gas and go. Manual is totally different. Youve got to push in the clutch, move the shifter to the precise place for the right gear, start to rev match the engine to where YOU think the RPMs will be, then you disengage the clutch and just let all those damn horses loose.
People used to get the manual for MPG purposes but now that the auto is on the block with the same MPG, if not better, then I see more people getting the auto for the ease of driving.