Porsche Almost Ready To Drop Manual Transmissions From Lineup

 Ferrari has already done so, Lamborghini has too, and now it appears Porsche will also drop the manual gearbox entirely within a few years' time.

With nearly 80 percent of buyers opting for the PDK dual-clutch gearbox over a manual transmission for popular models like the 911 and Cayman, Porsche has recently admitted outright that the conventional manual could be dropped entirely in just a few years. Speaking with The Sydney Morning Herald, Porsche’s R&D chief Bunno Brandlhuber stated that "There are some Porsche enthusiasts who prefer a manual and we will continue to offer this in the meantime.... But maybe one day it will become irrelevant."



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PUGPROUD - 2/20/2013 5:00:40 PM

+5 Boost

What a shame that would be. There is still something special about rowing thru the gears...it may no longer be as fast but it is much more
engaging with a greater sense of man and machine being one. With driverless cars coming along too it won't be much longer when new drivers (for lack of a better term) no longer will need to know how to drive. Personally its back to the future for me...I will keep one manual car in my small fleet until they pry the stick from my cold dead hand.

pcar4evr - 2/20/2013 6:24:25 PM

+3 Boost

I foresee a different scenario for Porsche. All the PDK owners who were fascinated by this amazing new transmission begin to realize how boring their weekend drives have become since essentially they're driving an automatic transmission car. So the price of used MT Porsches begin to rise and the demand for new Porsches swing back to a 50:50 split on transmissions. Well, I can hope, no?

Terry989 - 2/20/2013 7:17:21 PM

+4 Boost

It will be a sad day when this happens - - - which is why I just ordered a new Boxster S with manual transmission. Get them while you can!

bperlow - 2/20/2013 8:22:12 PM

-2 Boost

I think Porsche should sell the PDK STANDARD, and charge extra for the manual for "enthusiasts" since they would pay extra for the "privelege". Its the 21st century, I hope manuals go the way of the dinosaurs.

CactoesGe1 - 2/20/2013 9:23:45 PM

+4 Boost

Nooooooo! I thought I read somewhere that they were gonna continue to offer MT as long as there was demand for it. This means there will always be a 6MT Porsche. Woo hoo!

trmckin - 2/21/2013 12:11:25 AM

+3 Boost

I draw a parallel to the raptor in your pic. It's been a while since an awesome truck was produced since the 2001 lightning. 2010 comes around and Ford has a 4-6 month wait time on raptor builds for going on 3-4 years.

Porsche and others will drop the manual tranny for a while. The purists will ache for it and eventually they will emerge again in some form or fashion. The paddle shifters are here to stay but people that prefer to row will speak loud one day. It's just a matter of time... and technology.

t_bone - 2/21/2013 4:54:26 AM

+1 Boost

I moved from slushboxes to manuals over 20 years ago. Having that direct connection between road, engine, and pedal was a revelation. But honestly, the "interface" of a clutch pedal which just feels like a dumb spring, and a gated stick, is pretty clumsy. And I say that even after nearly 500,000 miles of stick and 10+ years of heel-toe rev matching which I do in every live corner.

I know most DCTs aren't very good yet, and they lack involvement. But the best ones like PDK are getting there. This is the future, and I hope these keep evolving.

PUGPROUD - 2/21/2013 7:41:17 AM

+3 Boost

To the point made above USA enthusiasts have forced BMW to make manuals available on M5's and journalists in other countries after trying it long to have it available in thier markets. Manuals offer a sense of direct bonding between man and machine...you either get it or you don't.
Haven't driven(though looking forward to) the Porsche manual that matches revs on both upshifts and downshifts...reserve judgement until I do.

skytop - 2/22/2013 9:25:25 AM

+1 Boost

The day Porsche drops the manual from the order sheet, they will also be announcing the new Porsche pick up truck. This company may be developing a defective compass.