With the modern day drive by wire systems, I enjoy my VW tiptronic automatic trans with the ability to drive it in manual mode via shifter or paddles. I was actually thinking about this topic just yesterday being in stop and go traffic and how I don't miss my manual 5 speed. I often use the manual mode to upshift to the next gear to sip less fuel that the computer would actually have me use if I was say going 35 and it would have me in 5th, I'll speed up to 40, shift to 6th and then set the cruise back down to 35, all the while it will stay in 6th.
All that still doesn't do much cause I typically redline at the next green.
I don't typically exceed the speed limit by more than 10% but I sure get to that speed fast!