KaiB

One of the sweetest moments is that late, smooth two to three gear downshift which ends just as trail braking and turn-in begin. It takes real skill at the edge of traction and half a lifetime to get just right.

Just a meek opinion here, but I'll keep the "old fashioned" stuff in my cars.

Veloce Raptor

LOL

+1, Kai. It is a REAL driver differentiator. Versus the zero skill GT-R style (but technically perfect) manumatic PDK.

Tedster

To me the difference between manual and auto/PDK is not the difference in the resulting lap time. It is the greater satisfaction I get from earning that better lap time. In a manual I need to concentrate not just on the road but also on the machinery that moves me down the road. Heel and toe is a bitch to get right but when it is done right it gives me more satisfaction than merely the better lap time. It is my mastery of the machine to accomplish the goal, not the machine's mastery that I enjoy most.

MayorAdamWest

I assume you meant me. Saying that driving a PDK requires 0 skill is obviously just the anger about them making it standard coming out. I am sure you know, as everyone else here, that F1, for instance, uses flappy paddles. I'm also sure that most everyone here will beat me around a track with their manual, even though I am in a PDK car - because I am not nearly as skilled. I understand those that enjoy shifting with a clutch will continue to do so. It's not like Porsche is going around collecting all your old cars. The point is, automated gear changes are the future. In fact, no gear changes is the future. The Tesla Model S has just 1 gear, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the next gen all-electric sports cars do the same. I'm sure people complained it took the skill out of driving when they introduced 4WD for the first time, or when they put in the first Turbo such that the car went much faster than the competition. Those of us that adapt will use and embrace the new technology, and those who don't will continue to use what they do today. I see people all the time with flip phones and standard definition TVs. People still hand write letters, and while there is something special about that, it's going to get more and more expensive, and fewer and fewer people will participate.

I think forums like these are great places to meet people with different viewpoints. Like with most anything, there will be a group that resists change, a group that's skeptical, and group that blindly follows. No one is wrong.

jcs_911

Yep. Or what happens if the rear wheel steering has a bad day hiccup doing 140 on the back straight?

Coochas

BTW, what's the over/under for 20 pages on this thread?

NaroEscape

The concern most driving enthusiasts should have is that this is the beginning of the end of your involved driving experience. A few years back, the then-CEO of Porsche (don't remember which one) was asked why PDK was not offered in the GT3. His response was something to the effect that the GT3 was a special car that appealed to a certain type of driving enthusiast - it's louder, less comfortable, stiffer but more responsive and completely involves and immerses the driver into the driving experience. It's for their extreme Sports Car enthusiast customers, and those customers want the tactile feel of a manual transmission.

Unfortunately it looks like politics and the big VW machine has stepped in and decided to tell the extreme Sports Car enthusiast that they can't have what they want.

As VR said, why bother buying a GT3? Get a Carrera S. Its got plenty of power, handles great, and is a great daily driver. The appeal of the GT3 was not to make your morning commute easier or more comfy, it's to give the driving enthusiast something to really enjoy and produce that visceral "feel" many of us crave.

PDK takes all that away and removes the specialness of the GT3... IMO

Gary R.

That's when it comes down to *****....

Abby Normal

the new rev matching downshift software on the manual has negated some of the need for skill too, so it's not just the PDK...

mx22

To me, GT3 is a racing oriented version of 911 first and a street car second. As such, it does make sense that it comes with PDK - its whole purpose is to go around the track faster. I understand your point of view, but apparently Porsche thinks (and I'm sure they will have numbers to back up their thinking) that GT3 clientele is more interested in getting the car around the track faster then getting the pleasure of driving stripped-out car on roads.

GuyIncognito

I've driven manuals, torque converter automatics, PDKs, F1s, DSGs, CVTs, you name it...and I've had involving driving experiences in them all (well maybe not the CVT Audi ).

I understand some of the appeal of a manual, but that's not the end all and be all of the driving experience, and there are so many other ways to enjoy the driving experience.

I'm kind of sad for you guys who can't see that.

GuyIncognito

oh, and this is the only kind of 'rear wheel steering" a GT3 should have

KaiB

You may feel as sad as you would like - but you're still not coming around me...

Yellow996

The "Rule Change Suggestion Season" for PCA is right around the corner, so I make the following motion:

1. No PDK cars
2. No Caymans...those mid-engine guys are cheating against those of us with fat *** engines in the rear of our cars
3. No one who can outbrake and outshift me in any way

Yeah, that should do it. Now I'll have GTB1 all to myself!

Sean F

or a white wire