I was reared on the sticks and believe it or not the first decent automatic was the VX.
It's a different driving method, you can throw it down gears and roar round corners, get past the dreamy little compact in a flash by ripping along in 3 at high revs.
Engine breaking, I don't mean the lump hammer kind, down hills as a brake instead of standing on the pads.
Bunp starts there's another good reason for stick shifts. Dead batteries wont stop you.