Technical concerns are very important and 90% of the time you should go with what's best technically, but in my opinion you should go with the manual. Autos are for V8s, i.e. old men. It's one of the few bragging points we have over musclecar guys - "Sure your motor's five times the size of mine but why don't you grow a pair and get a stickshift?"
Plus the ladies love the stickshift.