Porsche admits third pedal is on its last legs.
02-19-2013 | 05:00 AM
#19
Racer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
From: Switzerland
If true This would be very disappointing. Ferrari has pretty much done away with manuals and I think lambos will also go in this direction.
The move to 7-speed manuals and smaller engines is already in the wrong direction. Only hope is that demand from enthusiasts remains strong enough to justify the cost of produces two SKUs. IIRC BMW signaled a few years ago that M cars may only be offered with SMG in the future and there was an uproar in the US
But we may be the last generation that cares
The move to 7-speed manuals and smaller engines is already in the wrong direction. Only hope is that demand from enthusiasts remains strong enough to justify the cost of produces two SKUs. IIRC BMW signaled a few years ago that M cars may only be offered with SMG in the future and there was an uproar in the US
But we may be the last generation that cares
I think US enthusiasts is the ONLY group that keeps BMW and Porsche making manual cars. European drivers have surrendered to robots long ago, that is why M5 is not sold with manual there.
02-19-2013 | 04:13 PM
#21
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,957
Likes: 107
From: Wilmington, NC
At the Baltimore Grand Prix last Summer the PCA had a hospitality tent and the top senior management including the CEO from Porsche AG were there to interact with the members. I asked them during a Q&A if Porsche would phase out the manual transmission in the near future and I received a resounding "no". My guess is it will become extremely limited but available for years to come.
02-19-2013 | 05:29 PM
#22
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 19,034
Likes: 254
From: Centerton, AR
It is the majority of the USA market that prefers automatics. I have not heard/read what the Chinese market prefers.
Additionally the EU and its onerous CO2 emissions limits and fuel mileage requirement is forcing all car makers to automatics.
The automatic be it a slush box or PDK or something else has a shift map that is rigged to deliver good read low CO2 emissions and good fuel economy. This helps to explain not only 6-speed, but 7-speed and even 8-speed automatics.
The automatic also takes the operator out of the picture.
While I doubt the manual transmission at least in Porsches will disappear entirely I can see a time when it will be an extra cost option.
02-20-2013 | 09:28 AM
#23
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 10,594
Likes: 6
From: THE Republic
That's not what I gather. From my reading of UK car mags there still seems to be a preference for manual transmissions. With fuel costs so high and smaller engines, especially diesels, in favor car buyers prefer the more efficient and lighter manual equipped cars vs automatics.
It is the majority of the USA market that prefers automatics. I have not heard/read what the Chinese market prefers.
Additionally the EU and its onerous CO2 emissions limits and fuel mileage requirement is forcing all car makers to automatics.
The automatic be it a slush box or PDK or something else has a shift map that is rigged to deliver good read low CO2 emissions and good fuel economy. This helps to explain not only 6-speed, but 7-speed and even 8-speed automatics.
The automatic also takes the operator out of the picture.
While I doubt the manual transmission at least in Porsches will disappear entirely I can see a time when it will be an extra cost option.
It is the majority of the USA market that prefers automatics. I have not heard/read what the Chinese market prefers.
Additionally the EU and its onerous CO2 emissions limits and fuel mileage requirement is forcing all car makers to automatics.
The automatic be it a slush box or PDK or something else has a shift map that is rigged to deliver good read low CO2 emissions and good fuel economy. This helps to explain not only 6-speed, but 7-speed and even 8-speed automatics.
The automatic also takes the operator out of the picture.
While I doubt the manual transmission at least in Porsches will disappear entirely I can see a time when it will be an extra cost option.
02-20-2013 | 11:40 AM
#24
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 19,034
Likes: 254
From: Centerton, AR
A cruder gaming was my 2001 Camaro and 2006 GTO both which had 6-speeds that skipped shifted from 1st to 4th under light acceleration. Who the heck shifts from 1st to 4th at IIRC barely 20mph? In the Chevy I just accelerated a bit harder and the skip shift was defeated. In the GTO I bought a Predator and disabled the damn feature.
