As a "colonial", I feel the need to get pissy and beat my chest as implied earlier in the thread.
Manual v. automatic is no longer about absolute performance as the gap has narrowed and in many instances, a slushbox or automated manual have equaled or surpassed the performance of their 3-pedal counterparts.
However... no configuration of automatic can replace the interaction and connectedness one feels with one's car when equipped with a manual. Heel-and-toeing and perfectly executed rev-matched downshifts are a skill. Maintaining chassis balance when diving into a corner is an accomplishment. In an automatic it's computer programming. A manual forces you to focus your attention to the task of driving. An automatic lets you look at your Twitter feed between stoplights.
So the real question of which transmission to purchase is a matter of how you intend to use the car. Do you want transportation, or do you want an experience?