Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Changing gears: Next Porsche 911 Turbo won’t have a manual transmission

By

2011 Porsche 911 Turbo SThe next Porsche 911 Turbo may not have a clutch pedal. This decision will surely outrage purists and delight the legions of accountants who buy 911 Turbos, but it shouldn’t surprise anyone.

Road & Track reports that the 911 Turbo will follow the 911 GT3’s lead by ditching the manual transmission option. That means Porsche’s PDK dual-clutched automated transmission will be the only option.

Recommended Videos

Those expecting to see the seven-speed manual Porsche debuted on lesser versions of the current 991 911 might feel blindsided, but going PDK-only does make sense.

The brutal truth is that the PDK is a better transmission. Its shifts are literally faster than human reflexes, contributing to better acceleration figures and lower lap times on the track. It’s also one of the only clutch-less transmissions to win over car magazine test drivers.

The only thing the manual has going for it is the romance and fun of driver involvement, but subjective qualities like those rarely survive the onslaught of sales and performance data carmakers use to decide what they are going to build.

The 911 is a sports car, but if Porsche was really only selling them to people who appreciate driving for its own sake, it would be in the same position as Lotus.

The people who garage their 911s with Panameras and Cayennes are probably happy to be saved from the indignity of stalling at a red light.

Also, the GT3 has always been the ultimate driver’s 911. It’s naturally-aspirated engine, rear-wheel drive chassis, and lack of superfluous luxuries make the GT3 more elemental than the numbers-oriented Turbo. So if the GT3 has gone PDK-only, why bother saving the Turbo’s manual?

Transmission travesties aside, the new 911 Turbo should be quite a machine. It’s flat-six will produce 520 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. A Turbo S model will increase the lunacy with 560 hp and 516 lb-ft. and a 196 mph top speed.

The 911 Turbo will also have active aerodynamic features. A rubber inner tube running along the inside of the front spoiler will inflate when Sport Plus mode is engaged, increasing downforce.

Do you think Porsche is making the right decision? Tell us in the comments.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Costco, Electrify America add EV-charging stations in three states
costco electrify america add 50 ev charging stations in three states ea chargers 1280

Costco, which had abandoned offering EV charging 12 years ago, is getting serious about resuming the service.

Over a month ago, the big-box retailer once again put its brand name on a DC fast-charging station in Ridgefield, Washington, that was made by Electric Era .

Read more
Mini’s infotainment system is very charming, but still needs work
Main screen of the Mini infotainment system

When you think Mini, you probably don’t think of infotainment. Personally, I think of the British flag taillights, the distinct exterior, and the surprising room on the inside. But after driving the Mini John Cooper Works Countryman over the past week, infotainment might well be something I think of more often when it comes to Mini. It’s charming.

It also, however, suffers from all the traps that other legacy automakers fall into when it comes to software design. Mini has something on its hands here — but it still needs some work.
Bringing the charm
The first thing that stood out to me about the system when I got in the car was how fun it was. That all starts with the display. It’s round! No, it’s not curved — the screen is a big, round display sits in at 9.4 inches, and I found it plenty large enough for day-to-day use.

Read more
Plug-in hybrids are becoming more popular. Why? And will it continue?
Kia Niro EV Charging Port

There's a lot of talk about the idea that the growth in electric car sales has kind of slowed a little. It's not all that surprising -- EVs are still expensive, early adopters all have one by now, and they're still new enough to where there aren't too many ultra-affordable used EVs available. But plenty of people still want a greener vehicle, and that has given rise to an explosion in hybrid vehicle sales.

That's especially true of plug-in hybrid vehicles, which can be charged like an EV and driven in all-electric mode for short distances, and have a gas engine as a backup for longer distances or to be used in combination with electric mode for more efficient driving.

Read more