Personally, I feel that driving a manual is a far more engaging expirience. Makes a slower vehicle like mine enjoyable to drive. Comes with the added benefit of not being able to text and drive (at least in lower speed situations and "stop and go" traffic) It has helped me learn more as a driver too.
If I were getting a car with that much power, I should be getting as much fun as I can possibly get out of the vehicle. If I can't, then I'd rather go to the same road or track with something like my dad's old Probe or 9-3 Hatch. Are either of those the best cars? Nope! Are they the most fun I could have? Nope! (Would probably come from an FRS, BRZ, Miata, Focus ST, Fiesta ST, or something else like it) But on the plus side, I get to push the cars and chose how I want to go around the track, rather than mash my right foot and have a computer do all the other work for me.
Do I hate automatics? Nope! I drive one in my family's Equinox quite often, and it makes city driving more tolerable. But I'd take my rough shifting in my Subaru over the Equinox due to the smile I have when I exit my vehicle.