Earlierapex

An absolutely perfect description of a regular 991, which is both slower and available with a manual, thus meeting your requirements.

neanicu

Mike,I found your comment very interesting!
This part got my attention the most : " the 991 chassis has been designed for a hybrid power train; "
I've never heard that before but I'd be really interested whether you have more info where they'll fit the hybrid power train(and by that I mean batteries) on the 991 without sacrificing the rear seats nor the trunk? I am aware they've successfully used the technology in the 997 GT3 R hybrid,but that's a stripped out race car.

Mike in CA

Nick, I wish I could refer you to an exact reference. I've read so much about the 991 and 991 GT3 that some of the sources blend together. However, I specifically remember reading several times when the 991 was introduced that one of the goals of the stretched wheelbase and the relocation of the engine in the chassis was to accommodate future hybrid components.

Edit: I found one reference....

From Car Magazine September 2011:
"Encouraged by the motor sport success of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, Porsche has prepared the DNA of project 991 to accommodate a conventional plug-in hybrid system at a later stage."
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Secret-...e-derivatives/

Edit 2: And this, also from 2011:

"It’s not a secret anymore that Porsche will debut the all-new 911 (dubbed 991) this September, at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, right? Meanwhile, we found out that Porsche is working on a hybrid version of the 991, according to unofficial sources. How we know this? Apparently, the test mules spotted in California were recently spied at a gas station. Of course, there is nothing weird about this, but according to people who saw the test mule, the car was not making any noise when it appeared at the gas station. This confirms all the rumors about a hybrid version of the 911."
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/official-...on-of-the-911/

neanicu

Thanks Mike!

That's going to be a sad day...

blake

What do you do for a living? Do you work in "high-tech" per chance?

Mike in CA

You're welcome, Nick, and I tend to agree. That's one reason why I'm in the market for a new GT3 now, and why waiting for a Gen 2 version with MT may not only be in vain, but may bring other unwelcome changes for some enthusiasts. At least, that's what I fear.

FullThrottle64

Why sad? Every Formula One car is a hybrid (KERS), and if you do it right, you can add a LOT of performance by combining the engine and motor output. I think it's an opportunity to make the car even higher-performance while simultaneously increasing efficiency.

Just as an aside, increasing efficiency is a primary goal of every race car designer/engineer. Just because it's "green" and "politically correct" doesn't mean it isn't in keeping with high-performance automotive design!

Earlierapex

kinda sorta, but not really - biotech probably wouldn't count as tech?

hf1

Sure, why not? Serious question.

wanna911

You are using more complexities than needed. Your ground suggests that everyone should want the fastest car possible and to want a fast enough car is, as you say "bizarre". Which is still a "fallacy" because the GT3 still isn't nearly the fastest car.




So a manual GT3 doesn't offer performance?

It doesn't take much thought to see the flaw in that sentiment. We are talking about a difference of less than 1% to possibly 3% difference in a high performance car. Just a little insight suggest that many people would trade that for tradition, habit, enjoyment, sentiment or for whatever reason they decide to continue driving a manual.



What balance, I didn't offer any.........



Fixed for accuracy. But that's another point altogether.



Blind faith in spite of the concrete evidence I see...... Good luck with that.

neanicu

You may have a point in racing but for a street car I really wouldn't like the humming noise of the battery powered motor with beautiful real engine sound being played thru the advanced Burmester speakers.

Earlierapex

Considering the technology to drive a car at maximum speed around a track without a driver doesn't actually exist, how can it be a serious question?

Technology is constantly evolving: disc brakes are better than drums, synchros better than none, ECU better than carbs, water cooling better than air, ABS better, tires are better, suspension technology is MUCH better, aerodynamics, ad infinitum.

Most modern cars have all that, so why did you buy one? Hasn't the car lost some of it's character?

At every step, the purists and anti-tech crowd screams bloody murder that the new cars aren't pure driver's cars anymore because of [insert your favorite luddite bogeyman here].

The serious questions should be, how long will it be before PDK is universally accepted like ABS?

Or we can all play, let's guess the next technological advancement that the old guard will scream about on rennlist (and buy the car 6 months later...)

stout

There is a rather large difference between people who use MT to get from A to B because they have to and the tiny percentage of drivers worldwide who heel-toe because they want to. As to everyone knowing how to use an MT elsewhere, how do fuel costs figure into this, and the penalty of an automatic in that scenario?

While China is coming up big, NA remains Porsche's largest market, is arguably its most stable, is certainly the market that brought Porsche the bulk of its success since 1955 (that is not to suggest NA is "owed something" as a result, though some might feel that way). Perhaps most importantly for the discussion at hand, NA is by far Porsche's largest market for sports cars. So, in that light, should a large percentage of Porsche's NA customers—and these are very loyal customers—be ignored?

Even if we view NA and its MT customers' predilections as a "bubble" in the worldwide picture, this is a sizeable group. Pick a number...20%, 30%, 50%...it's a not-small part of a not-small market. And remember: dealer-ordered cars for the floor and the success of models no longer offered with manual tend to obscure true demand, as do customers who leave the fold for Corvette, Audi, BMW, etc.

Manifold

Wrong. I walked into the Porsche dealership with almost zero experience driving manual (about 15 years prior), so I assumed I need to get PDK. Test drove a bunch of PDK cars, but something was always missing. Then I ran across a manual Boxster RS60 which looked nice, so I gave it a try and loved the manual - that's what was missing. Wound up buying a manual Porsche, then another, then another. And BTW, I'm an engineer.

F1CrazyDriver

I own a Tesla Model S P85 package, it is a VERY awesome car in 99 ways ... that said, for my tickle me elmo moment car, to have a fun and "involvement" drive.. not a scratch on my 911.

I love my Tesla. I was one of the first deposits, and I invested in the company but----when it comes to a sports car. I ask for gush-bumps.

As much as i love F1 for 20 years...the KERS system is a meh.It all started to fall apart after 2006.

Rev limited implementation by FIA
Slick tires/ no tyre wars
Aero limitations
... I remember the days I use to get up at 3am to watch f1... no way i do that now. F1 lost its sou/ passion to me.