What not to like about 991 GT3....
03-12-2013, 05:47 PM
#106
Race Director
C'mon Nizer, you're saying that the PDK guys are picking on the poor MT guys, that the MT guys just want a choice, and have made no snide comments about people who appreciate PDK? You're joking right? You do realize that virtually every current and future PDK owner here has driven and appreciated MT's for years or even decades. We're hardly bashing MT owners and most of us have consistently said that we wish Porsche had offered a choice, even if we might have chosen PDK anyway. Sorry, not only is your statement not supported by a reading of the posts on this subject, it's not even logical.
03-12-2013, 06:34 PM
#107
I wouldn't be so sure that don't understand their market. Yes, the GT3 is aimed at enthusiasts who the majority of prefer a manual. But I have a feeling Porsche knows what is likely to move more cars. I'd wager that the vast majority of GT3's sold (and I don't just mean 991's) do not ever see the track. Nothing wrong with that, though it does seem like a shame. I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of potential buyers are more interested in PDK anyway. I wonder what the percentage of PDK vs manuals sold in 911's is?
My point is that while there is a huge stink on the forums about the lack of a manual option, that does mean that the Porsche buyers market as a whole is disappointed. I wouldn't make the assumption that the forums are representative of the market on whole. That is typically not always the case. The forums are representative of the enthusiast market... all of us are Porsche enthusiasts. But I'd be surprised if even 25% of Porsche owners or potential owners (not going to even count Cayennes in my number) visit Porsche web forums like this one.
My point is that while there is a huge stink on the forums about the lack of a manual option, that does mean that the Porsche buyers market as a whole is disappointed. I wouldn't make the assumption that the forums are representative of the market on whole. That is typically not always the case. The forums are representative of the enthusiast market... all of us are Porsche enthusiasts. But I'd be surprised if even 25% of Porsche owners or potential owners (not going to even count Cayennes in my number) visit Porsche web forums like this one.
03-18-2013, 08:57 AM
#108
European Porsche enthusiasts, for the most part, have adapted to PDK without too much protest. I believe PDK is the transmission of choice by the overwhelming majority of 991 buyers in Europe today. The final bastion of the manual transmission is here in the United States! Perhaps we should call it 'The Last Redoubt' so that our German and Swiss friends with good knowledge of WWII history can relate & understand this sentiment better! A larger % of dedicated sportcar enthusiast choose & demand a manual transmission here than in any other world market, period.
European elites associate manuals with the basic transmission offered on most of their econo-boxes. They mentally link a manual to lesser circumstances & physical labor! When they think of automatics, they imagine an exciting F1 transmission on a 458 Italia! American elites associate automatic transmissions with their fathers' Oldsmobiles! The link an 'automatic', regardless how advanced, to the slovenly masses of suburbia and take pride in the skill of a well-executed shift with the beautiful choreography of heel & toe! When they think of manuals, they imagine the exciting short-shift transmission of a gt3 RS!
And this sentiment is not limited to Porsche enthusiasts in the US. BMW was forced to offer a manual on their recent M5/M6 in this market after their US customers and dealers lobby for it. That was a manual for the US market only! It was never offered in Europe because there was no real, quantifiable demand for it on the other side of the Atlantic!
Europe is now the post-Christian, post-Manual continent! American is...well, I don't really know. Look who we have elected as president twice now. Perhaps we will soon get to love PDK like our European cousins. I hope not.
Saludos,
Eduardo
European elites associate manuals with the basic transmission offered on most of their econo-boxes. They mentally link a manual to lesser circumstances & physical labor! When they think of automatics, they imagine an exciting F1 transmission on a 458 Italia! American elites associate automatic transmissions with their fathers' Oldsmobiles! The link an 'automatic', regardless how advanced, to the slovenly masses of suburbia and take pride in the skill of a well-executed shift with the beautiful choreography of heel & toe! When they think of manuals, they imagine the exciting short-shift transmission of a gt3 RS!
And this sentiment is not limited to Porsche enthusiasts in the US. BMW was forced to offer a manual on their recent M5/M6 in this market after their US customers and dealers lobby for it. That was a manual for the US market only! It was never offered in Europe because there was no real, quantifiable demand for it on the other side of the Atlantic!
Europe is now the post-Christian, post-Manual continent! American is...well, I don't really know. Look who we have elected as president twice now. Perhaps we will soon get to love PDK like our European cousins. I hope not.
Saludos,
Eduardo
Why.
Because the dealers didn't sell the amount of manual m5's the dealers promised or expected, and the manual version was garbage.
I'd be really surprised if the rs comes with manual. If they provide both one has to be just an after thought and its going to be the manual.
Everyone should just embrace technology.
03-18-2013, 09:38 AM
#109
Rennlist Member
Your not up to date with your info. BMW has said that it will not produce the next m5 with a manual for the us market.
Why.
Because the dealers didn't sell the amount of manual m5's the dealers promised or expected, and the manual version was garbage.
I'd be really surprised if the rs comes with manual. If they provide both one has to be just an after thought and its going to be the manual.
Everyone should just embrace technology.
Why.
Because the dealers didn't sell the amount of manual m5's the dealers promised or expected, and the manual version was garbage.
I'd be really surprised if the rs comes with manual. If they provide both one has to be just an after thought and its going to be the manual.
Everyone should just embrace technology.
Source: BMW USA Website.
