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If you want the tactile sensation of manual shifting, why not just get the damn manual?
And if you don't want to go to redline off every stop light, take your car out of Sport Plus. The PDK is better than you (or I) will ever be and you paid for it. Why not let it do its thing... especially for in town driving (red lights and all)?
The PDK isn't a mind reader. Sport + is way too aggressive and Sport is often not aggressive enough for my preferred type of "enthusiastic driving." I generally don't go all the way to refline but like to rev it out more than Sport deems necessary. For in town driving with extra punch, Sport mode is PERFECT. For putting about lazily, normal mode is perfect. If I want to coast; I have a coast button, if I want engine braking; I turn the coast button off, if I want more engine braking; it's sport mode around town with maybe me forcing a few early upshifts here or there.
See the point? I like options, and to have as much control when I want. The center shifter is essential for that. And wag a cane at a PDK guy stating he finds some tactile sensation out of said center shifter all you want, but all I can say is my natural instinct when shifting is often the center shifter, it's where my hand and brain like to go. I get more enjoyment out of "banging" the slight moving shifter than I do clicking a button without moving my hand. I'm never racing for "best lap time" so I go with what my instincts enjoy. When I am driving hard, of course I use paddles (buttons, in this car, which make the center shifter extra necessary), but for spirited romps here and there, I get more satisfaction by physically engaging with the center shifter. Not as much "action" in keeping your hands on the wheel and clicking a button with no motion.
As for why I don't have a manual.... I actually wanted a manual. But PDK is so good, I'm mostly satisfied. No, the center shifter sure isn't nearly as engaging or tactile as a manual shifter. But it's a helluva lot more tactile and engaging than a "finger food" nubbin, and arguably more than paddles. And therein is why I like said center shifter: A solid middle ground.
The shift functionality in the panamera is quite good. They kept the correct +/- orientation which is a big step up from the macan and .1. I think i wouldve loved this setup in the 992. Not happening tho.
The MT is really slick but theres a couple gripes (7th gear and 1->2 auto blip in sport modes). If i had to pick on a 992 i would prefer the panny PDK setup over the 7mt. GT3 i would stay manual. As it stands with the nubbin I would do manual on a carrera again no question
K-A - as usual, I agree with you. It is good to have options. And with the 992, there is one less option for gear shifting. Like you, I use both the paddles and the gear shifter. Depends on the driving I am doing and my mood. For me, the nubbin not only detracts from the overall interior, it serves fewer purposes than the gear shifter in the 991. In other words, to me, it is not only way less attractive, it is far less functional. Lose, lose. I am not in the market for a 992 but if I were, I would get a manual ten times out of ten. It's a head scratcher for me why the engineers at Porsche could not come up with a better solution than the nubbin. The gear shifter in the new Panamera would have been a much better option, and more functional as well. If I had to guess, the nubbin will disappear from the 911, if not in the .2 then in the 99-whatever comes next.
I do! Love having the option between the paddles and the lever. Doing the same in my DD 3 series which gets exclusively driven in manual mode using the lever. After 20+ years of manuals, I simply got tired of the stupid 3rd pedal but love shifting gears with the lever. Full auto is for lazy days or traffic.
I wonder if Porsche can retrofit my dictation recorder in place of the PDK ****. This way I can dictate between the hospital and office, improve productivity and still retain OEM look.
K-A - as usual, I agree with you. It is good to have options. And with the 992, there is one less option for gear shifting. Like you, I use both the paddles and the gear shifter. Depends on the driving I am doing and my mood. For me, the nubbin not only detracts from the overall interior, it serves fewer purposes than the gear shifter in the 991. In other words, to me, it is not only way less attractive, it is far less functional. Lose, lose. I am not in the market for a 992 but if I were, I would get a manual ten times out of ten. It's a head scratcher for me why the engineers at Porsche could not come up with a better solution than the nubbin. The gear shifter in the new Panamera would have been a much better option, and more functional as well. If I had to guess, the nubbin will disappear from the 911, if not in the .2 then in the 99-whatever comes next.
K-A - as usual, I agree with you. It is good to have options. And with the 992, there is one less option for gear shifting. Like you, I use both the paddles and the gear shifter. Depends on the driving I am doing and my mood. For me, the nubbin not only detracts from the overall interior, it serves fewer purposes than the gear shifter in the 991. In other words, to me, it is not only way less attractive, it is far less functional. Lose, lose. I am not in the market for a 992 but if I were, I would get a manual ten times out of ten. It's a head scratcher for me why the engineers at Porsche could not come up with a better solution than the nubbin. The gear shifter in the new Panamera would have been a much better option, and more functional as well. If I had to guess, the nubbin will disappear from the 911, if not in the .2 then in the 99-whatever comes next.
Like many of the nuances of the 992,....it's simply cheaper to have a nubbin compared to a real shifter,.....same as the fake exhausts, the ugly black plastic front and rear, headliner, etc.
As I've always said, no one would accept a lower performing 992 (vs. 991),....so Porsche spent some monies here although not as much as I would have liked (weak "wet" mode, lifestyle apps, and on).
This is certainly not the same as charging more and giving more, but charging a lot more, de-contenting a good amount and throwing in the usual minimal engineering bones to make it perform a bit better.
It's very clear to me that the 911 is definitely not a focal point to Porsche any longer, but simply something they keep around for the legacy aspect and "name". Right now they are just squeezing as much
profit out of the old girl as possible before it morphs into a total electric lump which may be its demise.
We have two vehicles with a rotary dial for the shifter, a Ram truck and a Range Rover. The one in the truck is pretty basic and doesn't have the quality "feel" I'd expect a Porsche, but the one in the RR is very nice. I'd love to have one in my 991 rather than the silly PDK ****.
That being said, I had the privilege of driving a neighbors's Ferrari 488, and can say the the shift buttons in that beauty are nicer than anything Porsche has produced. I think you only need the buttons for reverse, and most of the time you focus on the steering wheel rather than fiddling with a ****. The 488 felt "roomy" in terms of knee and legroom because it didn't have a giant center console.
Like many of the nuances of the 992,....it's simply cheaper to have a nubbin compared to a real shifter,.....same as the fake exhausts, the ugly black plastic front and rear, headliner, etc.
As I've always said, no one would accept a lower performing 992 (vs. 991),....so Porsche spent some monies here although not as much as I would have liked (weak "wet" mode, lifestyle apps, and on).
This is certainly not the same as charging more and giving more, but charging a lot more, de-contenting a good amount and throwing in the usual minimal engineering bones to make it perform a bit better.
It's very clear to me that the 911 is definitely not a focal point to Porsche any longer, but simply something they keep around for the legacy aspect and "name". Right now they are just squeezing as much
profit out of the old girl as possible before it morphs into a total electric lump which may be its demise.
Interesting. Pete Stout and Chris Harris BOTH say the car is great, like the nubbin and overall quality is great. .....and its faster , sounds better and handles better than the 991.2.
Neither Stout nor Chris Harris laud the nubbin for being a huge improvement compared to the prior shifter. They accept it, they do not criticize it but they also do not give it a gold star. Any way you slice it, the nubbin is less functional than the outgoing gear shifter. For those who enjoy shifting gears with the gear shifter, that option is gonzo in the 992. I actually prefer using the gear shifter rather than the paddles in my PDK 991.1.
I agree with others that Porsche seems to be making the 911 more of a cookie cutter and that the build quality is not what it once was, a la Audi, MB or BMW. No more narrow body option. Cheap-looking plastic central cup holder (Chris Harris is not a fan). Alcantara is now an upgrade for the roof lining. The plastic-y front and rear bumpers....
I am glad that many dig the 992. Different strokes for different folks. Just not for me. I am looking forward to taking one for a spin and I am sure it is an amazing drive. Then, I'll return the car to the dealership, walk back to my GT3T and thank the heavens for my good fortune.
The shifter is small so drivers can access other buttons and the screen. In older 911s the shifter is clearly in the way, but that’s a bit of the point where the focus was driving.
Also its a evolution to more electronics/ drive by wire. Its just a button with no linkage required so why does it need to be large. No one actually uses PDK with the lever instead of paddles. I honestly think its no big deal.
The new 992 is a good mix of new tech with old traditions. I’m not going to say its bad. The exterior and interior makes the out-going model look dated if thats saying anything.
12-24-2018, 08:32 AM
