I'm looking to get a FL2 for a spot of travelling round Europe when permitted. Areas like the pyrenees, picos de Europa, Scandinavia and maybe Iceland. Anticipated terrain is obviously off road but not Billing off road course. I've read an automatic is recommended to get the best from terrain response but would a manual be OK for rough tracks and trails.
Any advice gratefully received.

Automatic will be best for controllability off road at low speeds, without a low range transfer box you will find you'll need to slip the clutch on a manual to negotiate rough terrain.
The automatic is a lovely drive on road as well, and is great for towing, gets my vote. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Manual will be fine, unless you want to do slow or steep technical stuff without worrying about stalling. Sounds like you will be doing tracks which are relatively friendly so I think a manual will be fine. If anything I don’t think the ability between the two will that much different, you would just need to work harder with the manual.

I think the manual gets 3-5 more miles per gallon - it’s not a terrible auto but it isn’t a modern super efficient one either.

Edit: I bought an auto and took the MPG hit for what it’s worth, but that’s partly because I’d only ever had manuals and wanted a change!

The manual will probably be fine, but having had both, I wouldn't go back to a manual again. Steve

2008 TD4 HSE Auto, Zermatt Silver

You don't buy a dog then bark yourself... Auto all the way

Auto Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Thanks everyone, that seems pretty conclusive.

Auto SD4 is the best combination. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 76k+ miles) (MY2015)

Auto.
Far more relaxed way of driving. You've only got to worry about your stop and go peddle. Easier off road, too. You can have both hands on the steering wheel without worrying about having to scrabble around trying to select gears when you're trying to negotiate a tough piece of terrain and possibly stalling it.

Does the Manual have any advatages over the Auto ? 
Hung like Einstein, smart as a horse.

Slightly better fuel consumption. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

And cheaper road tax!

Another vote here for Auto, especially mated to the SD4 engine  LR2 SD4 GS
D2 TD5 S
Fiat 500S for skateboarding to the shops

Sd4 over a manual Td4 anyday of the week , my Sd4 could easily match and even better the Td4 manual for economy on a run and far more relaxing too . Interestingly my wife's Sd4 Ds with the 8 speed auto is a bit down on mpg on a run compared to the Fl2 Sd4

Mark 2009 FL2 TD4 SE (Sadly gone)
2007 FL2 TD4 GS (The wifes , gone after 8 great years)
2012 FL2 SD4 SPORT LE(Gone and missing it)
2015 DISCOVERY SPORT 2.2SD4 HSE (For now ?)
2014 Ford Bmax 1.0 ecoboost ( Gone but what next )
2014 Ford Focus 2.0tdci Zetec S

Hi,
Autos do give a more relaxed off road experience and reduce drive line shocks
drive as slow as you can as as fast as you have to,
so 1 or 2 gear changes does take a lot of effort

If I was going to do a Lot of laning or RTV's then an auto is good, although I did have a manual D2 for 9 years that was extensively laned

Best advice is to try both and see which one you like best, they will both do the job very well

and hover over each members car in their posts to see what spec car they have, the auto peeps seem to say autos and the manual peeps seem to say manuals

In real terms very few take their cars to places that it will make a difference

 .
my first ever FL2 and I did keep it longer than most other cars!
But its now gone way up Norf