Know nothing about automobile engineering but somehow this feels like WordPerfect releasing a fantastic version for DOS when Windows was already capturing all the market. Btw they did that. Rest is history.
I think it's a great analogy. It's all the little quirks and flaws that make ICE cars feel like they have a 'soul'. The more you have to engage with it, the more it feels human and machine are having a conversation. Many car enthusiasts seek out manual gearboxes (despite being slower to 60mph than a modern auto), because it's _fun_ and gives you some mechanical sympathy.
I own an EV, which is a fantastic daily, and a 911 for weekends. I've never felt like taking the EV out for no reason other than to enjoy a mountain pass. It's too heavy in the corners and too sterile.