Can you provide a link or
Can you provide a link or some sort of citation for this? Everything I've seen, along with everything I've heard from people who should know what they're talking about, points to the contrary. All the magazine numbers I've seen show the manual Mustangs hitting 60 faster than the automatics as well.
Keep in mind, that even if you can make an automatic transmission that shifts absolutely perfectly, and faster than a professional using a very well-made manual with short throws and a very good short clutch, the automatic will still lose out on power because operating the heavier and more complex gear box takes more HP from the rear wheels. So while you'll have the same horsepower at the crank, you'll have less wheel horsepower.