Having tried the auto recently for a few days, it reminded me why I didn't consider it when I was looking for a 370 in 2009, having previously driven both manual and auto on track and on the road.
The fact the paddles are fixed to the column rather than the wheel shows that Nissan decided they would have more wheel shuffler customers than otherwise. Auto might be fine if you do a lot of commuting but fortunately I don't so that a greater percentage of my time in the car involves 'spirited driving' and crossed arms. In that style, trying to hit the left or right paddles through tightening/easing bends is not so easy, whereas it is only your left hand that needs to leave the wheel for the manual changes. Now if the paddles moved round with the wheel...............
Besides which I also found the engine braking less effective and 2nd gear in auto is just two low in the 7 ratios so that on the tighter corners of some of my faourite roads it was 3rd gear, without hitting too many revs so that the drive out of the corners meant the engine's ideal torque range was missing. I also found myself too often using the brakes for deceleration on corner approaches rather than feeling I was in the right gear for a particular corner and the drive out.
Just my personal findings of course.
OK practice might improve my impression of the auto, but it isn't for me