My Auto Soarer had a modded gear stick meaning i didn't have to depress the button to bang through the gears there was a guide on here how to mod them before if i remember right and it was very capable.
I've had a passenger ride in an auto Lexus GS 300 with little more than a hydro, coilovers and a weldy... It was but no means out of it's depth, I guess having someone who knew how to drive it helped!