FWIW, that hasn't been my experience. What's gained by operating the paddles yourself is the same thing that's gained by shifting a MT for yourself; more individual control over the car, and the potential for more fun when the situation warrants it. Someone who is inclined to become "lazy" using auto mode just because it's there probably shouldn't be buying this car in the first place. There are better options for them....

 

Maybe I'm wrong - let's see how you feel after you own the car awhile.

 

well... he has owned a PDK equipped 911S for a while and still drives it that way.

Same way I intend to drive it. I will likely never use auto mode; NEVER...

 

Exactly. For 4 years, until I sold it a couple of months ago....

 

I am a diehard manual guy. I had a 981 Cayman S PDK on loan for 24 hours and I tired of pressing the buttons in short order. Ended up just using Auto mode instead (I didn't enjoy the gearbox in either mode).

If I were to buy a 991 GT3, I would use it every week at the track. My guess is that I would use manual mode for the first hour or so and then just stick it in Auto thereafter (if it truly selects the proper ratio on up and downshifts in Race mode as had been described). Once I convinced myself that my laptimes were as good or better in Auto, I wouldn't see the point of Manual. I don't think it's fun to press an electric switch, so that part of manual involvement holds not particular value to me.

 

The buttons are horrible. The paddles are better. But in 991 the PDK in sport mode is so much better, you can leave it in auto and it will do everything right (unless you find twitching your fingers exciting).

I had the fortune to ride next to a Porsche instructor at the Porsche road show thing, he left it in auto mode, I asked him why, he said it was faster than shifting by your self.

 

Yes, and I imagine that Race mode in the GT3 is better still (leaving less of a reason not to just let PDK shift for you). It's not out of laziness - at some point, there just isn't advantage to manual mode in PDK.

If PDK could anticipate your intentions perfectly (100% correct gear selection, including timing of the shift), would anyone still crave the involvement of pulling the electronic paddle switch?

 

I understand your personal preference and for sure wouldn't argue that point. I also get why you might want to use auto mode at the track and I agree. On the street, though, I find manual mode to be not just more fun but fun period, especially once you start to explore the ways you can use it. After driving MT's for 40 years it took a lot more than 24 hours for me to gain an appreciation for that. Just me; YMMV.

 

Cue GPS assisted transmissions - which is already in RR and I believe Audi A6/8.

 

Maybe you're right. I haven't had that much exposure to the system (and none with PDK-S). I tend to doubt it, but I'll try to remain open to the possibility

 

Fair enough.

 

I've tracked my 991 a lot. The auto mode is best on track for reasons stated above. On the street I usually use manual, unless i'm lazy or distracted, then i'll use auto. Allan

 

I'm going to drive mine naked.
Might be the only way to make PDK exciting.

 

High revving cars with a double clutch aren't always fun in auto mode. My 458 hates auto mode once the pace quickens and demands to be used manually. It's no hardship.

 

If it really is as good as they claim, I'd just leave it in auto. Only time I ever manually shift in a auto transmission is when I want to downshift for engine braking and being in the power band for a corner. If it does this correctly then there is no point manually doing it. Pressing hard on the gas pedal all ready causes it to drop into the correct gear for acceleration so I rarely ever need to manually shift for that. I prefer the paddles to the gear selector unless it was a H pattern gated shifter.