As a continuation of my previous thread (consolidating Evora GT + SRS), I test drove a 2024 Carrera T with the 7-spd manual yesterday. It was better than expected- broad powerband, good exhaust note, very good steering (more responsive on-center / better turn-in than the SRS), beautiful interior esp with the carrera T pack + full leather. However, the shifter + clutch felt somewhat "rubbery"- quite different than the Civic R / Integra S and my Evora GT- which have a more predictable, linear clutch and sharper gearshifts.

For those who have driven both the 718 Spyder and 992 manuals- how would you compare the transmissions? Does the 7 spd feel just like the 6 spd but with an extra gear?

 

The only 992 I have enjoyed was the Turbo S. I didn't vibe with GTS, T or GT3 for whatever reason. 997 and 991 GT3 I prefer over 992. My 718 Spyder is a Sunday morning backroads sort of car and I like it for that. If I were tracking I would get a 991.2 GT3.

 

No

 

The 6-speed MT for many years now has “felt” better than the 7-speed. I at one point had a MT 991.2 and 718 simultaneously and it wasn’t even close which was the more engaging to row through the gears.

 

I’m def in the minority here but I’ve driven my friends 992-T on many occasions, each 30+ minute backroad stints but…

I love that car, I’m always constantly impressed by how good everything feels incl powerband/sound/shift/clutch/steering.

 

7 speed in the 992 is better than the one in the 991, but it still feels considerably "worse" than the 6 speed in the 718

 

I have a 20 Spyder and a 22 992 GTS. Both are manuals. The 6 speed is perfection. The 7 speed is not in the same league. The throws of the 7 are longer and sloppier. While the throws are longer, the side-to-side "slots" are too close. In the Spyder the shifter just makes you think "precision." You never think that with the 7. You have to concentrate to get it right in the 992, whereas in the Spyder you have to try to mess it up.

And it's not just the shifter. The pedals in the Spyder are perfect for H-T downshifting and there is zero throttle hang. The pedal arrangement isn't ideal for H-Ting in the 992, and there is a bit of throttle hang that is annoying. But with practice you can master it. Maybe someone with a different shoe size and feet would feel the opposite.

You can apply this same comparison to the steering and overall feel of the two cars. Everything in the Spyder is more precise. The 992 just feels bigger and sloppier and more "muscle-car like" in every way. Whereas everything in the Spyder feels like it's an extension of your brain.

That being said, the 992 is great and I'd still take the 7 speed over the PDK without hesitation, but in a head-to-head comparison the Spyder wins in every category for me as a sports car. The 992 is a GT in comparison and is much better for trips.

The 992 is faster, but for the road, that's actually a negative too. People like to complain that the gears are too long in the Spyder. There is an open, secluded section of road where I regularly redline the Spyder in 1st and 2nd. I can't do that in the 992 because it's too fast. I can rarely hit redline even in 1st in the 992, Whereas I can regularly in the Spyder without being too crazy or stupid.

 

My experience is different, thanks to the factory short-shifter kit available from Suncoast for 991.2 and 992. (This kit reduces the height of the shifter to match that of 991 Spyder/Speedster/T and 992 T/GTS from the factory.

The shifting experience in my 991.2 Carrera S 7-speed was totally transformed after installing the short-shifter kit.

In opinion, my 991.2 short-shifter Carrera S shifts the same as my 981 Spyder, but with an extra gear. Note the 6-speed box in 981 Spyder is the same as that across all 981/982 except in 981/982 Spyder and 982 25th Boxster, the short-shifter kit is installed from the factory.

 

I echo your sentiments and observations and concur. You have captured the essential differences in the experience of driving a manual 911 vs a 718 perfectly in my opinion. I had to drive my 911 very fast to drive any kind of satisfaction whereas in my Boxster 25 (especially with the Kline exhaust), I can drive more sedately and still relish a very pleasurable driving experience. The smaller size of the car and the lovely manual gearbox are wonderful.

 

Appreciate the observations and insights. It can be difficult to know if what one is accustomed to is necessarily better; as far as manuals go, I've owned an '88 Honda CRX, '89 Integra, '91 Legend, '89 MR2, '93 300ZX, '97 M3, '03 Boxster, '05 Boxster S, '07 GT3, '17 Evora 400, '18 GT3, '19 GT3, '21 Evora GT- there's always been a manual in the stable. Over a 10 mile test drive, the 992 T felt quite different and I'm still not sure what to think of it. Will hopefully will be taking out a '23 718 Spyder tomorrow and will report back to the forum!

 

I had 718 Spyder and 718 GT4
The 6 speed manual is great
before I decided to pull the trigger on the 992 MT , I sat in several 992 at dealer with MT and the clutch felt rubbery and was hesitant for sometime to pull the trigger
but just pulled the trigger on 992 CS 2024 and the MT is not as good as the Spyder but to me is good enough for a MT and overall I have no problem with it

 

Highly recommend installing a numeric shift kit on any 7 speed manual. Was extremely transformative on my 991.2
I owned an S2000 for nearly 20 years, for reference....

 

it's a fair point, the 7 speed in the 992 is good enough to be enjoyable for someone who enjoys a manual even if it's not on par with the 6 speed in the 718

I wouldn't let the manual be the deciding factor in your decision between 992 and 718, there are lots of other reasons to prefer a 718

 

Drove a '23 718 Spyder 6-spd today. On local roads, up to 60 mph, I really could not sense any significant difference in steering, suspension, balance, or acceleration compared to the Spyder RS. The Spyder however was definitely more engaging due to the manual trans and the gear shift / throws / action / clutch was noticeably better than the 992 Carrera T 7-spd- throws felt shorter, less "rubbery", with more positive engagement. I don't think this would be enough to deter a 992 buyer, but it could be a significant factor for someone who's "on the fence". As I tend to shift at lower RPMs, I didn't notice the longer gearing either- it was very comfortable driving in 3rd gear at 40-45 mph.

Now the question is whether to go with a 718 Spyder vs 981 Spyder vs 2011-12 Boxster Spyder...

 

Don’t forget the 718 Spyder is a GT product, and in my biased view it looks the best too. With a simple exhaust change it is an epic machine.