rglbegl

^^^
Honda already has that technology on their motorcycles. (Certain 4-Wheelers)
There is a clutch, if you want to use it, if not you still have to shift, but the clutch is not a necessity.
You can come to a complete stop without stalling, or you can use the clutch at a stop for a better launch

rglbegl

You are entitled to your own opinion.
But let me out it in to an easier to understand idea for you

Yes, anyone can drive manual, and yes, anyone can sail a boat.
Both are easy to do, but nearly impossible to master.
Even so, if you are a novice or a pro, anyone can have fun doing either

doubleurx

I can't argue that. I can only argue there is no need to be condescending.

You come across as though no true sports car is without a manual. I disagree as does most of the auto industry and user base.

mrstep

I don't see MT as an elitist art form, but you're surely not saying that clicking a button is the same?

Or maybe hats off to you for finding MT as simple as a button press... Or maybe you're finding clicking a button to be more challenging than it should be? If you're still using your left foot to hit the paddle, you're arguably doing it wrong.

There's more to do shifting manually which is inherently going to be more involving. That may not make sense for may people in stop & go traffic, if you're competing on a track against other automatics, etc., but for having a nice drive on twisty back roads I'll take actually shifting myself. That doesn't mean PDK is bad, that doesn't mean MT enlarges anyones pen1s, but it certainly is more involving than a button press to me. Clearly, YMMV.

rglbegl

I am not being condescending. (For those who think I am, this is the internet, you need thicker skin)

And it is my opinion that a street driven sometimes track day car is more fun with a manual.

Now approaching a hairpin corner at 200mph in a race car, most people would prefer the auto trans, along with commuters and people who just don't know how to drive manual. So the auto does have its place.
Sadly, many race teams have gone to the auto transmission, so people are willing to spend tons of money on a similar style tranny in their car to make them feel like Lewis Hamilton. Porsche has recognized this, and is not afraid to take peoples money using whatever add-ons they can.

doubleurx

No, and I didn't state that either. I love manuals. Both my 911s and my STI Are manuals. I do think heel toe is rather easy and yes, does require more work. That said, there is a hell of a lot more to driving than shifting the gears.

The problem I see with many die hard manual drivers, is they feel it is some special skill, and going with a PDK transmission somehow implies they don't know how to really drive.

doubleurx

I'm very thick skinned and certainly you have not offended me, but I think you are unaware of how condescending text can be read on the internet. Have another read of your quote. Obviously it is unintentional, but some would call that "condescending"

rglbegl

And some wouldn't

FullThrottle64

Ummm...no. The dual-clutch transmissions in race cars are decidedly NOT automatics. The rules in nearly every racing series anywhere in the world prohibit automatic shifting - they require a driver input for every ratio change. The transmissions in the top-tier road racing series' are almost exclusively either sequential dog-ring boxes or dual-clutch with manual shift selection and computer controlled clutches.

This is one of the places PDK departs from a true racing gearbox - the self-shifting mode is not something you'd see anywhere but in a street car. Racing DCTs are driver-shifted, but with computer-controlled clutches. Of course, a true racing box would operate very close to the way PDK does in Sport Plus mode, which nearly every driver loves on the track - but would be terrible for street use. The same would be true with a sequential dogring gearbox - great for the track, but terrible in traffic.

This is really the issue, isn't it? With an old-school manual, the driver gets to control very directly just how aggressive to be, and can adapt the clutching infinitely from one shift to the next. With PDK, you get the three choices that Porsche wants you to use, and you don't get to alter the behavior at will (aside from changing modes, which isn't something you're going to do continually). In that sense, PDK does give you less control. It's not an "automatic", though, in the sense of the old torque-converter slushboxes that disconnect at the worst possible times....it's really a computer-clutched manual.

MarcusG

Nice explanation.

chuck911

What I been sayin'.
Much ado about not really all that much at all.

fantom

That's most disappointing to learn.....

chuck911

Heh

Kalashnikov

This is like Typewriter vs MS Word debate here.

Manual transmission is a typewriter. Manual produces user error, unpleasant in real world daily driving ( no, driving your 911 on Saturday in country does not constitute daily driving. Driving your manual 911 in LA/Phoenix/NY traffic daily for 2 hours is daily driving), and manual is now slower than modern automatics.
Clinging to manual transmission at this point is akin to clinging to the typewriter. Modern PDK and hydraulic boxes shift faster than pro driver, never miss a shift, and allow both hands to remain on the wheel.

Stick is going the way of the typewriter. Period.

socalsteve

I don't own a typewriter, but when I did there was something really nice about the pressure to push down the keys to type, the sound of the key hitting the paper, the look of the type...but no spell check!!! Guess you really have to know what your doing to use a typewriter...

Just sayin'