Would love a manual box in mine, modern auto boxes like the one in my RS6 are very good and change up and down very quickly, the S8 shows it's age a bit in the gearbox technology I think.
Having said all that what car did I take to the Lakes on holiday last week, yep the S8, its just such a wonderful motorway mile cruncher..and SWMBO thinks I drive like a maniac when I take the RS6