PDK Driven
08-19-2008 | 11:00 AM
#17
Banned
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,176
Likes: 2
From: Albuquerque, NM
They would lose me and many others as customers.
I believe that in the world of Porsche sports cars that the split between PDK and manual will be somewhere around 50/50 after some time. For the GT cars I would expect 20/80 (20 PDK and 80 manual).
I would like to note that for the Ferrari's and also for the Lambo's, that it is closer to 90/10 with the majority going for the F1 and E-gear tranny's. But I have a theory as to why. How many Ferrari owners actually drive their cars on a regular basis, and how many drive them at the very least, on spirited runs through some great curvy back roads, and how many on the track? Not a lot from what I have seen/hear.
The other reason that the Ferrari/Lambo guys don't get the manual, is because they are not very good manual gearboxes (whereas the current 997 manual are as smooth as butter; well sort of anyway), they are slow in shifting and long throws and such. And I attribute this mostly to the lack of research for a good manual ever since the F1 trannies came down from F1; their manuals are still living in the 80's and early 90's. Finally, those cars tend to make more torque (especially ones like the Murcie and the Gallardo), which usually means hardened gears, ultra stiff clutches, and simply not an enjoyable shifting experience.
But our cars have one of the best manuals in the bunsiness considering the power range we are in. I assume the new Miata and the Honda S2000 still have some of the slickest trannies from what I have read, and I attribute this to their gutless sewing machine motors. They can put in a smooth shifter linkage and light clutch (which I hate, the Turbo's clutch is also very girlie compared to our GT cars) when the motor only makes 25 ft/lbs of torque.
Just my theory.
08-19-2008 | 12:41 PM
#18
Rennlist Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Yeah right.
I would like to note that for the Ferrari's and also for the Lambo's, that it is closer to 90/10 with the majority going for the F1 and E-gear tranny's. But I have a theory as to why. How many Ferrari owners actually drive their cars on a regular basis, and how many drive them at the very least, on spirited runs through some great curvy back roads, and how many on the track? Not a lot from what I have seen/hear.
I would like to note that for the Ferrari's and also for the Lambo's, that it is closer to 90/10 with the majority going for the F1 and E-gear tranny's. But I have a theory as to why. How many Ferrari owners actually drive their cars on a regular basis, and how many drive them at the very least, on spirited runs through some great curvy back roads, and how many on the track? Not a lot from what I have seen/hear.