ronbauer

Are you getting PDK? AFAIK, the earliest PDK will get delivered in the US is 12/4. There are a bunch of us that got our orders in the same week that it became available for order and we're all showing 12/4. That is with the boat scheduled to arrive in Port Benicia on 11/13.

Ron

KelvinC

What is so disappointing with the standard PDK? It’s super fast, and if it’s good enough for The GT4 Clubsport, it’s going to be a killer gearbox. This is the same gearbox used in SRO GT4 racing. In fact, it’s actually the closest PDK to actual motorsport as GT3 Cups, RSRs, etc all use sequential transmissions.

PDK in the GT3 and GT3RS is very nice—I’ve driven it both calmly and in anger, and it does what is expected. But we’re splitting hairs here, about specs that frankly make little difference if you’re out there enjoying your car on mountain roads or the track.

wizee

It’s mainly the extra short gearing of the GT3 with top speed in 7th, and other gears closely spaced for optimal acceleration, that people are hoping for. Regular PDK is good, and has a somewhat shorter second gear, but GT3-style PDK is better and has an even shorter second gear.

usctrojanGT3

Yeah Sept build and originally it showed a dealer delivery date of 11/14 and then it got moved up to 11/6 but that was last month...I didn't bother bugging my SA for an update.

KelvinC

Yes, the shorter gear ratios are implied, and pretty much confirmed by Porsche to be improved vs the manual box.

I suppose for me, the GT4 will be primarily a track tool—where current GT4 owners 981 and 718 alike have already mentioned the gearing not being an issue. The PDK will probably be even more suited in that environment, adjusted ratios or not.

The forums are just a funny place for folks to get all worked up over something that at the end of the day, comes down to marketing and bragging rights for those who aren’t in actual motorsport competition. “Better” is ultimately a relative term to those who aren’t looking to compare spec sheets, and I’d argue a Cayman T with a manual transmission can be just as, if not more enjoyable than a GT3 RS on the street.

Of course, this is an enthusiast forum and people always love a good debate.

Plus, this long wait is agonizing so I suppose it helps pass the time.

wizee

Yeah, this site is mostly about debate/entertainment to pass the time. Shorter GT3-style gearing would allow winding out the motor more, better 2nd gear acceleration, and better 0-60, all of which are fun on the street, though I’d argue the car is already too quick for street usage.

The street car formula many clamour for is:

• Light weight (Miata or Elise like weight, so around 2400 lbs)
• Tiny dimensions (very narrow, very short, very low - think Lotus Elise)
• High revving naturally aspirated engine with many cylinders (a flat 6, I6, V8, or V12 that revs over 8K RPM)
• Low power so that one can go full throttle for multiple seconds without exceeding the speed limit too much (say 200 hp on a light car)
• Super short gear ratios for a manual gearbox (say 35 mph in first, 50 mph in second, 75 mph in third), so that one can keep shifting all the time at street speeds
• Quick steering ratio with lots of road texture and steering force feedback, possibly unassisted

The closest car to this formula that exists is the Lotus Exige Series 3, though it’s too powerful and track focused to be an ideal street car, and not road legal in North America. On a street car, the main thing you want from a high revving many cylinder engine is sound, not crazy acceleration. Maybe a Lotus Exige Series 3 with a supercharger delete could be it, since it’ll keep the 6 cylinder sound, but lose the excessive power for the street, and save a little weight too in the process.

In Canada, it’s possible to import cars from other countries when they’re older than 15 years. Maybe I’ll import an Exige Series 3 when that happens.

There’s also the Lotus Elise that was sold in North America from 2006-2011. They’re four cylinder, but otherwise meet criteria I described above. I just prefer the sound and smoothness of more cylinders.

There’s also the Honda S2000, and latest generation Mazda MX-5. They’re both also pretty close to meeting the criteria apart from having only 4 cylinders, though they’re not at the Elise level of being tiny and raw.

Somebody should make a street emissions compliant, tiny, low power, low torque, super high revving, and light weight V12 that can be put in cars of the Miata/S2000/Elise genre. That’ll make for a modern Ferrari 250 GTO.