casaforte9

I was at Barnes and Noble and I dont rememeber which magazine but one of the Porsche magazines wrote that Porsche design head is considering paddles for the PDK cars due to so much negative feedback on switches

mdrums

I have gotten use to the PDK levers on the steering wheel but I'd love to try out paddles and see how I like them.

More and more I am reaching down and using the stick like you would on a sequential transmission like in the race cars.

PogueMoHone

^
Somebody has figured it out!

Le Chef

Look for it to be a $1600 option steering wheel with paddle shifters, once it becomes standard on the GT3 with PDK. At that point they might also add a "P" button to the steering wheel that will allow you to have your favorite configuration at the push of a button as BMW offers with it's "M" button.

casaforte9

O my, $1600 for paddles and a P button when paddles and M is standard spec on a M car , may be P button has more configuration settngs like we should be able to choose regular PSM with Sport settings for the transmission instead of default sport setting of PSM when sport is chosen to quicken PDK shifts etc.

But still $1600?

gota911

If Porsche does offer paddle shifters, will they still maintain the current "push for up shift and pull for down shift" format? While it would probably not take long to get used to that format, it is still counter intuitive to those that are used to rowing through the gears.

bbrc76

paddles are standard on an M car, but the M button that memorizes all preferred settings is only available as part of $3250 "technology package" on the M3.

plus with the "technology package" you get BMW's "idrive" (the complicated nav system which some would prefer to avoid)

Targa Tim

after you have read the entire list of porsche options, you'll realise that spending an extra $1600 is nothing.

NTI 911E

It is mind boggling to me why Porsche would choose to part from the pack and use those switches. I have an SMG M5 and would not buy PDK just because of those switches. EVERYONE uses left downshift, right upshift paddles, because it works. Ferrari, BMW, Audi, Lamborghini: they all use this layout. It feels too much like Porsche was trying to be different just for different's sake, not for any good reason. The metal paddles on my M5 have a very solid feel, much more than the Porsche's which feel like audio volume buttons or cruise control switches at best.

Le Chef

And the follow on question is what did Porsche find so wrong with paddle shifters that they felt they had to develop something that was quantifiably better? And I've yet to read anything from Porsche that spells out why the bat ears are superior and the paddles inferior.

casaforte9

well Porsche always said that switches will be familair to exisiting tip owners but didnt relaize that paddles are better ergonomically and everyne else would xpect paddles since their previous cars could have been with paddles

plz

Probably a cost issue with Porsche
Maybe cheaper to make the current swithces fit the existing parts (steering column, wiring harness, etc.) than to design paddles.
Plus the Tip compatability as described above.

mdrums

I also wanted to say that I am completly used to the current PDK steering wheel levers. I'd still love to try paddles to see what works best at the track but so far the current way works too. I almost never drive my car in Auto mode.

Le Chef

Mike you are the one person whose opinion of real paddles compared to the bat ears is something I would value.

Go find someone with a 430 or Gallardo!!!

fuenfer

Actually while non-M BMWs may have paddles (both in SMG and, optionally, on Steptronic configuration), both sides do the same thing (i.e., pull for upshift, push for downshift). I got used to this on my last 545i, which made test-driving the 997 PDK inordinately difficult (seems so simple to remember push for upshift, pull for downshift, but overcoming a year and a half of driving the exact opposite way was tough).

I'm guessing that this is done because your average driver doesn't bother to hold the steering wheel with both hands. Hope Porsche does the same thing as BMW and make pull right for upshift, pull left for downshift the standard on the GT3.