Porsche has only made four true supercars, despite the incredible performance that the Porsche 911 and its various variations offer. The later, dual-clutch 918 Spyder is the outlier among those because the original three—the 959, 911 GT1, and Carrera GT—all only had manual transmissions. The Carrera GT was the last Porsche supercar with a manual transmission, and it was a fine manual at that: the six-speed transmission is controlled by an excellent shifter with a beechwood top.
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Porsche revised its plans for the stick-shift transmission in response to public outrage.
Porsche has had a few about-faces on the subject while the rest of the industry gradually backs away from vehicles with manual gearboxes. The latest information indicates that the German automaker will continue to provide manual transmissions “as long as there are customers who demand” one, according to none other than Porsche North America CEO Klaus Zemmler.
Klaus Zemmler, CEO of Porsche North America, said such things to Motor Authority. Zemmler claims that until public outcry prompted the Stuttgart-based automaker to change its mind, it was considering gradually getting rid of manual gearboxes from its vehicles. The CEO added, “We were initially planning to gradually phase away a manual transmission, but the customer uproar was so strong that we obviously listened, and with the last GT3s…we came back with a manual.”
“I can tell you that two-thirds of all GT3s ordered have manual transmissions, and that well surpasses our original planning,” the executive said.
Porsche has been on the fence about employing manual transmissions for a few years, ever since it introduced the track-focused 911 GT3 and the 911 Turbo of the current generation without having manual transmissions as standard equipment. Both models were devoid of manual transmission choices. That choice incited a frenzy among Porsche enthusiasts, particularly among followers of the GT3 weaponry. Even though Zemmler also acknowledges that only 20 to 25 percent of 911 and 911 S buyers opt for a manual transmission, Porsche eventually listened and brought the manual transmission back.
However, the manufacturer is aware that getting rid with the row-on-your-own gearbox may cause many Porsche purists to have their own unique fits. Porsche acknowledges that a PDK transmission is superior in terms of the pursuit of performance and speed — “There is no better transmission than the double-clutch, or PDK, if you want to be the fastest, have the most control over the car, and utilize the maximum power of the vehicle. Nothing changes for the better, “According to Zemmler, some consumers still prefer to drive their own Porsches rather than relying on a computer to change gears.
Contrary to popular belief, sequential and dual-clutch gearboxes can change gears more quickly than a human hand is capable of doing so.
Even so, Porsche will still probably sacrifice the manual transmission because it has previously done so in the past and suffered greatly as a result.
Porsche’s 911 Regains Manual Transmission
Here’s some good news that will make even the most stern purists smile. Porsche has declared that the famous 911 will once again be available with a manual transmission. Recall that the manufacturer withdrew the stick shift from the popular model’s product range a few years ago, which was widely viewed as the height of sacrilege.
Porsche must have clearly heard the three-pedal supporters’ message.
As a result, all 911 Carrera S and 4S vehicles can now be selected with a 7-speed manual transmission in place of the 8-speed PDK transmission at no additional cost. Those who prefer a more sporty drive will appreciate the gearbox’s combination with the Sport Chrono Package.
Also incorporated is Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV). Through carefully timed interventions on the back wheels and a mechanical rear locking differential with an asymmetrical locking action, that system provides variable torque and traction distribution.
The new tire temperature gauge will be welcomed by drivers as well. With the 911 Turbo S, this supplementary feature that is part of the Sport Chrono Package, was added. When tire temperature is low, blue bars warn of decreased grip. The tire temperature indicator and tire pressure monitor are merged. Once the ideal temperature has been reached and grip is at its peak, the indicator color turns to white from blue-white as the tires warm up. When the car is equipped with winter tires, the system is turned off and the bars are concealed.
The Sport Chrono Package also features an automatic rev-match feature in addition to the manual transmission. In order to boost the engine speed and adjust it to the greater gearbox speed in the lower gear for smooth downshifts, this feature opens the throttle momentarily during downshifts.
A stopwatch, the Porsche Track Precision App, dynamic engine mounts, PSM Sport mode, the mode switch on the steering wheel with the modes Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, Wet, and Individual (for an individual set-up), and other sporting features are included in the package.
The Porsche 911 Carrera S with manual transmission has a top speed of 308 km/h and can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds.
History of the Porsche 911 manual transmission
Despite PDK’s current market domination in the new Porsche 911 segment, manual gears have a long and illustrious history with Zuffenhausen’s iconic sports car, going all the way back to the 911’s debut in 1963.
The Porsche 911 (in its different incarnations) had a dogleg transmission up until 1972, with first gear sitting by itself at the bottom-left of the shift gate. Because the original five-speed 901/1 unit was also used in the 904/906 race cars, which wouldn’t use first gear while moving, the configuration was uncommon.
Up until the Porsche 911T’s introduction in 1968, the 911 only had a five-speed transmission. The 911L and 911S, on the other hand, shared the five-speed 901/50 gearbox, while the entry-level “T” had a four-speed 901/03 shifter.
As the 2.4-liter Porsche 911 era began in 1972, the C and D Series of Porsche 911 switched to the 911/01 transmission for 1970 and 1971 (where the dogleg was initially retained).
The 915 gearbox, which had reverse located below fifth on the H-gate and was notorious for baulking when cold, was still used in naturally aspirated Porsche 911s up to the 1987 model year, when it was ultimately replaced for the final three years of the Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera manufacture.
The 915 had various changes at the time. It would enter the scene as the 915/03 and leave with the number 915/72 stamped on its casing. The gearbox, which was also used in the Porsche 911 Turbo in four-speed configuration, now goes by the designation 930.
The much more renowned G50/00 gearbox took the place of the 915 and succeeded it (where reverse moved to the left-and-up of first). Although it wouldn’t be used on the Porsche 930 until 1989, when it was finally considered powerful enough for the Turbo’s torque output, the five-speed transmission was a revelation.
The G50 was updated to accommodate the Porsche 964 Carrera 4’s four-wheel drive system in 1989, giving rise to the G64/00 gearbox. A year later, the G50/03 five-speed, with a snappier, shorter shift action, would make its debut in the 964 Carrera 2.
Due to the G50’s popularity, there were very few changes made during the 964 era, with the G50/10 unit being added to Cup and RS models and the G50/52 shifter being improved for 911 Turbos. All of these units had five forward gears.
The first six-speed transmission appeared in the Porsche 993 Carrera, where the venerable G50 was modified to accommodate an additional ratio, the G50/21. Both the new 993 Turbo with four-wheel drive and Carrera 4 models retained the G64 labeling.
Six ratios persisted until the Porsche 996 era, however a new gearbox was needed to match the water-cooled M96 engine, and all manual shifters began with the G96 designation.
During the Porsche 997’s existence, a similar naming pattern was seen, with both the Gen1 and Gen2 variants equipped with the G97 strain of manual gearboxes. This was finally put to an end with the current 991 generation when the MT11 seven-speed manual, which made use of the PDK’s housing, was released.
Do you recall when a six-speed manual was offered with the Porsche 911 Turbo?
While the new Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S models from the 992-generation are capable of acceleration comparable to hypercars, we believe you would enjoy driving this 2002 996 911 Turbo with a six-speed manual transmission just as much.
After the 997-generation, Porsche ceased providing the 911 Turbo with a six-speed manual transmission. While this helped the Turbo become an unstoppable weapon in a straight line, a PDK transmission can’t provide the same level of sensation as a stick shift. Even though this particular 911 Turbo is almost two decades old, it is still incredibly quick and might end up being a good deal.
The car was initially bought new in Illinois, and according to the Bring A Trailer listing, it has also lived in Texas, Wisconsin, and Minnesota until its present owner registered it in Iowa and then California. It is being sold with manufacturer paperwork, a clear California title, and a Carfax report.
Polar Silver Metallic is the body paint color, which looks great with a set of 18-inch custom wheels mounted with Sumitomo HTR Z2 tires that are sized 225/40 up front and 295/30 back. Four-piston calipers with vented and cross-drilled discs at each of the four corners are used for braking.
A twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter Mezger flat-six engine with 415 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque provides the power (562 Nm). The vehicle has accumulated 55,000 miles (88,513 km) so far. The highest price was $30,000 as of this writing, three days before the auction’s conclusion.
FAQs
Porsche is well recognized for making opulent automobiles. In addition to offering classic vehicles with manual transmissions, it still produces two manual versions. The 718, 911, 912, and 914 models of Porsche are available with manual transmissions.
Although most automotive enthusiasts prefer manual transmissions to automatic ones, driving stick-shift vehicles may soon become a thing of the past. A staggering 99% of new cars sold in the United States in 2019 have automatic gearboxes.
Do Porsche manufacture manual transmissions today?
Porsche Models with Manual Transmissions For more control on Matthews roads, the following Porsche models are available with a manual transmission: Cayman 718. 718 Boxster 718 Cayman S
Porsche first used automatic transmissions when?
Porsche unveiled their first automatic transmission way back in 1968. Porsche introduced the Sportomatic transmission in order to appeal to the market that didn’t want to manually change gears.
This transmission wasn’t an actual automatic. The driver was able to change gears by operating a vacuum-controlled clutch with a gear lever similar to one found in a manual transmission car. The absence of a clutch pedal was what made a difference, though. This transmission, which was utilized in Porsches up until 1980, represented an early attempt at a semi-automatic transmission.
The Tiptronic automatic, which was a ZF product, was the next. Porsche altered the ZF transmission to make it more responsive and athletic. Like modern automated vehicles, it also had a manual mode. The Tiptronic transmission was first employed in the 911 of the 964 generation in 1991, and it has since undergone modifications.
Porsche’s racing engineers had been working on a dual-clutch transmission known as the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe, or PDK, during this time. Porsche eventually installed the PDK transmission in production vehicles starting in 2005 after nearly 30 years of use and development in racing.
The Porsche 911 from 2022 does it have a manual transmission?
Most models come with all-wheel drive and an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic manual transmission as their transmission. The 911 is only slightly longer than a Honda del Sol at 177.9 inches long and 96.5 inches wide.