Yeah, all the fun went out of driving when manual spark advancement went away...
(The Model T apparently had a lever on the steering stalk to change the ingnition advance/retard. The throttle was a lever on the opposite side of the steering stalk. Smooth driving required moving the 2 levers in harmony to match the new spark advance setting with the higher engine speed. Boy, now those were the days...
Scary thought, but with GPS controls, advances in remotely piloted vehicles, etc., who's to say that the day won't come when an 8 year old can sit in a car, punch a button, and turn in top lap times on track. Controls and automation sciences continue to leap forward.
I'll settle for an engine that doesn't blow RM seals
Back on track, when paddle shifting, automatic clutching manual transmissions get (a) good and (b) affordable, I'll probably get one. And I think that day isn't far off at all.