Wrong. PDK= Modern Automatic Transmission. Manuals are here to stay. They're simple, light, and cheap. None of which is true for PDK.

 

The conversion to electric starters is a little before my time, but I would be surprised if there was pushback from folks because they believed a hand crank was “more engaging and fun.”

There is definitely a place for PDK, but put me in the camp that prefers to row the gears myself and derives satisfaction from those all too rare moments when I nail a heel-n-toe downshift. If reducing my acceleration times by a few tenths of a second were more important to me than driving engagement, then I would have bought a 996.

-John

 

Just like crank start vs electric start. Or side curtains vs windows. Or manual brakes vs power assist. Or ...

 

Weak. You're saying that every new automotive technology will succeed. How about HUD? How about night vision? etc. Apparently you know that arguing the facts of PDK is a losing argument.

If PDK is going to supercede Manuals, why don't the vast majority of cars use PDK? Answer: too complicated and expensive. A Honda owner isn't going to pay $4000 for a PDK tranny on a $20k car. Is the cost of PDK going to become comparable to Manuals? Never.

Even PAG estimates that only around a quarter of its U.S. Manual buyers will switch up to PDK. The demand simply isn't there.

 

No, correct answer is that the processing technology in cars was not fast enough to ensure proper and smooth gear engagement until a few years ago. CAN-bus systems and better computers now enable that.

The price is Porsche marketing. Why did the x-51 motor option cost $17k, when the whole motor was availble for $13k? DSG and similar systems are a few hundred bucks extra from other manufacturers.

Have you actually driven a PDK? Other than the 6spd 993, I own two cars with dual clutch trannys. I wish the 993 had one.

 

Hey Eric, I hate to break it to you, but the manual is a dying breed. With a PDK/DSG tranny, car companies can vastly alter their pollution specs, the PDK for instance is a much cleaner car than the manual car. As long as oil is getting more expensive, and countries are being much harder on emissions output, you will slowly see the demise of the manual. Most cars nowadays are being engineered with emissions in mind, and if they can control anything and everything, they will. One of the english Porsche magazines has a little blurb from a Porsche engineer and he too says you will see a vast switch over to DSG/SMG/PDK over the next couple of years. It remains to be seen, but take a look at all the "performance" brands and compare stick to auto/PDK type boxes and you will see the numbers.......it's inevitable......

 

I got to drive a 2S Cab with the PDK in it this weekend. I was allowed to put about 100km on the car, so I got a pretty good feel for it. The car (a cab) did not have the Sport Chrono Package, so no launch control.

My observations: Better than Tiptronic as far as engagement, shifting, and "feel" goes. I tried it in both "D" mode and "manual" mode. I shifted with both the lever and the steering wheel switches, and also in "normal" and "sport" modes.

First of all, the switches being "backwards" IS NOT an issue, and I feel they are "correct" because they are ON the wheel instead of "behind" the wheel like paddles are. I started ****fing up with the heel/outer thumb of my right hand, which required only a slight shift in grip on the wheel, and then downshifting with my fingers. I really had no issues, and it is very comfortable and intuitive. I think the key is that the switches are on the wheel. Yes, different that the paddle shifters of other brands, but it works just fine. Wait until you drive it to really pass judgement.

Function: SWEEET!! is all I can say. I have also driven an SMG equipped M3, and the PDK is smoother and faster. One thing I purposely did was to manually shift to 7th at about 70kph, and then just nail the throttle (the "kickdown" switch under the pedal is easy to engage, and also easy to "not engage"...you'll know when you do it) and let the magic happen. Pretty much INSTANT downshift to 2nd, and I just held the throttle, and let it do its thing. It runs to redline in each gear, bangs off another "instant" shift, and keeps on going. I ran the car from 70kph to 270kph several times, and it is awesome. Faster, smoother, more precise than I (or any other non-pro driver) could ever do.

I ran some good twisties, up hill and down hill, doing all manual shifts. It was great! Manual with "sport" engaged means it'll (Of course) hold gears and only shift up or down to protect the engine. At low speeds, it WILL override if you are in too high a gear, and it will always shift at redline. I'd say that for track work, it would be a real enhancement, especially once you got used to it and learned the ins and outs. As Hans Stuck said, having the PDK in a race car let them keep their hands on the wheel and concentrate on the line.

In "D" mode, it is great in traffic, and with "sport" engaged, the car is lively, always in the right gear, and will downshift (with a nifty little throttle blip) with any semi-aggressive application of throttle. When NOT in "sport," yes, it upshifts early and often, going for economy. "D" with "sport" on is fine for an enthusiast in traffic.

I ALSO got to do a longer stretch in a 2008 Turbo with six-speed. Also one hell of a hoot to drive, and when the Turbos come with PDK, it will be one hellacious peice of machinery.....

If buying new, I would DEFINATELY get PDK.

 

As far as "The demand isn't there..." goes. Maybe not yet, but once word gets out on how good this thing is, it'll increase. People who didn't want tip, with all of it's "slushbox" connotations, if they are willing to give it an honest try, will warm to it.

 

I am all for new technologies but let's not get all giddy becuase it's new-most of the comments you make above have little to do with the elements that make a good sports car. As far as PDK/DSG transmissions-it is inevitabe that most manufacturers will soon take every physical link to the driver out of the equation. Wires and processors=fewer parts, less cost. That's what the engineer is really saying. Because it's "new" you can charge for it. I like "operating" my car-knowing that my arm is moving parts around to change gears-knowing that there's a stick connecting my steering wheel to the front axle. Maybe that's archaic-but I bought my car for for those reasons-

 

looking back to history, whether TV has replaced Radio is still debatable?

and looking forward, whether TV will be replaced by Internet and VOD is yet to be seen.

I guess PDK vs Manual is similar.

I guess most people here would argue that air-cooled engines cannot be replaced by water-cooled ones..

 

I just got back from the factory in Stuttgart, saw them mounting the PDKs to the engines right on the assembly lines. Seeing them in person they are slightly smaller and lighter, with a lower center of gravity. I forgot what the tour guide said, but a ridiculous amount of new orders were coming in for the PDK... (saw two going in production cars while I was standing there for ten minutes)

 

I drove the PDK last night at the local PCA meeting held at the dealer. The technology is unreal. The car was an S Cab., no sport chrono package. The shifts are so smooth and you really don't feel it, just hear it. I was told by the tech, that the sport chrono is way better and you can really feel the shifts, which is what I want.
Overall I stand with my original thoughts, I think it is great they offer the technology and it is very impressive. However, I still have a long list of p-cars in that price range that I would buy before the 997 PDK. Even though the 997 is so much more car, I felt like I was driving a real sports car when I was back in the 993 for the ride home. Also, could not get used to the shifter buttons, I wanted to pull to upshift and push to downshift! Luckily the computer won't let you shift down when you are at the top of the range. I just really wish the thing had paddles like the Ferrari.
If the 993 is the ideal car for you and you like it for what it is, I don't think the PDK equipped 997 is for you. Plus there was a white 997 GT3 in the show room I could not stop looking at.
If I hit the lotto big tomorrow I would maybe buy the S Cab with PDK for my dad.

 

I test drove a PDK C2S yesterday and I was very impressed with how the trans feels. When in automatic mode, you can not tell it is a clutchless manual, it is not jerky at all. While I would probably choose a traditional 6speed manual gearbox myself, I can see the PDK being a desirable option for many people. When I asked the dealer how popular the option is when selling cars, my saleswoman said more than half the cars ordered are PDK.

 

unreal! half the cars!

 

Of course. What's the percentage of F430's that order the F1 tranny? Probably more than half.