bigkraig

I do this sometimes because its a little smoother of a stop if I coast with some braking.

PC Valkyrie

A few points.

There is no doubt that a stick shift manual transmission requires more driver involvement and engagement both on the street and on the track. It requires more skill to operate a stick shift properly, especially on a track when one has to brake and downshift at the same time (heel and toe) prior to a corner. Doing this correctly and consistently AT SPEED does result in a tremendous sense of accomplishment. Anybody who disagrees with this simply does not know how to drive a stick shift at a high level of competency. Some people take pride in their ability to drive a stick shift, and look down upon people who can only drive automatic transmissions. I get a sense that some people here (the "purists"?) feel that way.

Having said that, changing gears on a stick shift transmission is NOT the only aspect of driving which is enjoyable. Sometimes, a stick shift is a pain in the a**, especially in bumper to bumper traffic.

As one gets faster and faster (lower and lower laptimes) on lapping days at a track, driving a stick shift becomes more and more dangerous, in my opinion. Upshifting is not the problem......it's the heel and toe downshifting before a corner. As one tries to brake later and later, approach speeds to a corner get higher and higher, which means one has less and less time to properly brake at maximum intensity and do the heel and toe dance to downshift. Mistakes can happen (not braking enough, not rev matching properly, downshifting into the wrong gear), which can result in serious problems/accidents if one is really pushing themselves in terms of pace just before entering a corner.

Personally, I know how to drive a stick shift. I've honed my manual transmission shifting skills on a track for many years now. At my pace on a track, heel and toe downshifting is something I can do consistently and without much thought given the muscle memory that develops over time. I'm not a pro racer.....I'm just a car enthusiast who enjoys lapping days several times a year. More importantly, I don't need to "prove anything" to anybody about it, and I don't feel that I'm not as much of an enthusiast if I actually drive an automatic transmission car on the streets or the track.

The 991 GT3 is exactly the type of car I wanted.........high revving naturally aspirated engine, with the latest fast shifting dual clutch gearbox. Tracking the 991 GT3 (or any car that is NOT a stick shift) allows for so much more mental bandwidth to concentrate on other aspects of driving fast which makes lapping much safer, IMO, especially because the 991 GT3 is capable of going SO FAST.

So for me, I don't miss a manual transmission when I drive my 991 GT3. The car works so well with the PDK-S that it just feels "natural", both on the streets and on the track. If I want to drive a stick shift, I drive my other car.

Mike in CA

So do I. But once stopped, there no reason to continue to hold the paddles in neutral, or to move the stick to N, IMHO.

doubleurx

No, I watch at 4-10 feet. Nonetheless, you can't compare plasma to the new technology in terms of resolution and viewing angle. Are you saying you can't see the difference between 1080p and 4k at less than 2 feet? If so, I understand, but I can. Not to mention the issues plasma has at elevation.

On the left foot braking, how it would be applied with a manual is absolutely different to that with a PDK, more so with hard braking. There would be the obvious advantage of dedicated left foot brake, right foot accelerator, hands shifting. Now if we all had a third appendage long enough for that third peddle, then............

Petevb

I strongly suspect Porsche believes their top cars are now too quick for most customers to handle with manuals.

Achieving performance has never been a problem. Crank enough boost into a '70s 930 and give it sticky enough rubber and it'll out lap anything this side of a 918. But that performance is only accessible to pros- give that car to your average shoe and their life expectancy would drop measurably. Ditto with the CGT, as we've seen.

If achieving performance isn't hard, making it accessible to the average driver is a whole different issue. Performance limits are clearly being pushed, like it or not, by both Porsche and others in a relentless arms race. We're taught to think faster cars are "better", and we pay money for every second saved. Unfortunately bank balance and skill level are not well correlated.

What to do if you're Porsche? You must achieve the required performance to maintain your brand and profit margins, but you don't want mothers marching outside your dealerships either (CGT). Solution: you make the performance as easy to access as possible. Porsche's top sports cars, the GT3, Turbo S and 918 are ever more impressive exercises in making it easy to go fast. Which makes perfect sense for most of its customers...

But speed isn't everything, and in fact I'd argue it isn't even very important on US streets the majority of the time. And yet on the track or autocross, the places in the US you can access all of these cars, a very different trade-off between skill level, difficulty and speed applies... It's an interesting problem for Porsche. How much rope do you want to give your customers, exactly? And if you don't offer it, will customers go elsewhere for there "other" car?


Back to the original question, it's a testament to the job Porsche has done that so many here are happy. However this is a very self-selecting group, people that felt confident enough to invest a substantial sum betting that they'd like PDK. I'd be curious to hear also from people that didn't make that bet, but obviously finding them with significant 991 GT3 seat time is tricky...

JRRSA

We can debate this forever. I have driven the PDK-S. It's fast, amazing in fact. That doesn't change my opinion. A computer doing everything for you with nearly the same result every time is what is needed for competition. For engaged driving however, nothing replaces the management of three pedals. Heel toe rev matching and the satisfaction of achieving that perfect downshift.

dark knight

a little off topic but the PDK-S reminds of this porno i once watched where a chick had another chick on a leash and said "she came to me and asked to be trained" thats how the PDK-S is its always wanting to do more, it wants to be shifted manually, it wants to run. PK-S compared to other manuamatics or even regular PDK is its like maybe your hot czech girlfriend who wants to please you vs. your wife who is always tired or some fake **** like that

jimbo1111

Whats most upsetting to me. Is that Porsche didn't allow us to make our own decision. I would have bin able to stomach a lack of rear seats, but that coupled with the lack of a 7 speed. Did it for me. I moved down to a GTS because of it. I feel terribly deprived because I wanted the power plant though. If there was a competitor in its class I would have surely gone to them. I just wish I knew who made that call so I could send him some nasty emails.

dark knight

Andreas Preuninger is who you are looking for. i seriously felt the same way, but drive it, its amazing, its a perfect match for the motor, its like a dream and the car is always wanting to run in a way no other car I've driven has been

Petevb

A guy over on Planet-9 posted similarly today: traded his 991 Turbo S for a Cayman GTS largely because he missed the manual and found the GTS more fun. That type of trade down is not something Porsche is going to want to take very often, and as you say jumping ship entirely is the next step. I do wonder exactly how many are similarly voting with their wallets...

I think you likely need to look above AP's pay grade to find the real source of this decision. As with many issues that effect the cars we drive this seems to come from a strategic level.

997s07

I voted with my wallet. I'm not even touching the 991. Sold my .2 and bought a .1.

Hell I'm going to sell my F430 with paddles and get the manual.

Wondering why Herr Preuninger? I know you don't care, and neither does Porsche. Economics always wins. You'll make money, but not from my bank account anymore.

Fowwiee

I think for every customer that Porsche lose over making the GT3 a PDK-S only car instead of manual only. They will gain a few extra for having PDK.

The thing that sets this generation of GT3 apart from prior ones (any most other cars in this class) is the fact that it's well behave enough to be driven everywhere. It's this dual character that makes this the best GT3 ever.

The best car for me isn't the car that offers the rawest experience, or the fastest. Instead, it's the car that you can always bring with you. So when the moment is right, it's there for you to take advantage of.

ranger22

What is this, a Cialis commercial?

Wichard20

+1, I love driving manual cars but fully agree about the mental bandwidth when using a non manual car at the track

Nizer

Every aspect of car control gets more critical as speed increases: line selection, brake application, throttle app, braking points, yadda, yadda, yadda. I wouldn't single out shifting as more dangerous.

Is PL more dangerous in this video because he's not driving an automatic?


One of the most common contributors to spins in a 911 is abrupt brake release at turn in. It would be easy enough with engineering and processing power to develop a program to address this. The question with technology becomes where to draw the line? Right now we have technology-based interpretive interfaces for steering, brakes, gas, and now transmissions. I can't really argue with any of this from a safety standpoint in a basic commuter car but in a car geared toward pure driving enjoyment less is more in my book. I'm not against technology; I want a stiffer chassis, better shocks, more powerful brakes, stickier tires, etc., etc. But what I don't want is technology that inserts itself between my input as a driver and the feedback coming from the road, engine, brakes, suspension, etc. in an attempt to think for me.

Indeed

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