[Subjective observation here] Of all the cars I have owned, the 5VBW seems to illicit the most "You got a (insert car model name here)??? No shit! Those are sick/awesome/crazy/etc!" among people who I know are car people, people with whom I chat here and there about cars and know more than the average person but are not necessarily "Car people," and random strangers at gas stations/mall parking lots, etc.
Of course, this anecdotal "evidence" means precisely squat, but I can see manual Blackwings, esp the 5, gaining or even strengthening their "halo car" status in coming years. I'll certainly do my part to champion that