Porsche Enters Reassurance Mode — PDK-only 911 GT3 Will STILL Be Hardcore

When Porsche introduced its all-new 911 GT3, I was elated but I was left asking questions: Will it have a manual option? Would its feature electric power steering or the old-school hydraulic? The answers have been found.

In a recent conversation with Autocar, Porsche's high-performance car manager spills the beans.

PDK only and electric power steering is here to stay.

According to Porsche's guy, the new PDK has been made to perform like a race car's sequential manual box, AND the electric power steering has been refined to feel as the much loved 911 (997) GT3 RS 4.0.

Do YOU feel assured OR is this leaving you disappointed?

The new Porsche 911 GT3 is not only as fast as an old GT3 RS 4.0, but it is also more exciting, according to Andreas Preuninger, the firm's high-performance car manager. And he gives much of the credit for that to its new dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

Preuninger was responding to concerns that the firm's latest race-bred 911 might have been sanitised by a two-pedal system. “I like my 911s pure and hardcore,” said Preuninger. “I like to really work for my fun. The gearbox had me convinced within 150 metres – and you will be too.”

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LexSucks - 3/18/2013 11:33:09 AM

-3 Boost

Is he saying that the current cars that have that type of transmission aren't "Hardcore"? I guess looking like you are having a seizure to accomplish a shift is more "Hardcore"?

Patronus - 3/18/2013 12:15:35 PM

+3 Boost

Its an automatic....nuf said.

LexSucks - 3/18/2013 12:57:15 PM

-2 Boost

So is the Buggati Veyron, Lambo Aventador, Nissan GT-R, and every current Ferrari. The PDK transmission is actually faster than the old-school archaic Clutch Pedal Manuals. Guess that doesn't matter.

LexSucks - 3/18/2013 3:12:17 PM

+1 Boost

To you old-school clutch-pedal manual types. Question… Do you need to get 3 out of your 4 extremities involved in shifting in order to feel “Involved”?

I’ve had manuals all my life until my current car (still enjoy it on my motorbike). But the whole press in the clutch with your left foot, while simultaneously lifting off the gas with your right foot, and selecting the gear with your right hand (and that’s not all of what it takes to shift a gear with a manual) seems ridiculously cumbersome just to accomplish a gear shift. It felt like I was operating a steamboat or something, not a modern car.

MarathonBob - 3/18/2013 8:10:41 PM

+2 Boost

There's no question the PDK is the faster car, but it's a pity Porsche didn't offer both manual and PDK options. The future is pointed towards more automation and Google inspired autonomous driving is already here. All that points to less driver involvement, the opposite of what brought many of us to this forum.

CactoesGe1 - 3/18/2013 8:40:11 PM

+2 Boost

I just don't understand why Porsche doesn't offer the MT as an OPTION on the GT3. Keeping MT is supposed to be the one thing that separates Porsche from the rest.

iamdabest1 - 3/19/2013 8:41:00 AM

+1 Boost

id always get pdk over a manual unless if the car with a manual was my weekend only car.
i HATE when car companies dont offer more options..