PDK vs Manual
#46
Glad to hear the art of Heel & Toe is alive and well in other parts of the world.
#47
Ever been in an original BMW M1? The brake pedal and throttle are so close they're almost one, and the brake pedal is mounted higher than you'd find today.
#48
The vast majority of Americans don't want manuals anymore. That's why they're so rare. If they did, dealers would order their lot stock with manuals, which they don't. I don't know what the median age is for buyers of new Porsches, but I suspect it's north of 40. Age can be a factor. But ultimately the day the dual clutch gearbox arrived which easily outperformed manuals in every aspect that could represent (acceleration, aggressive downshifting, fuel economy, short shifting, canyon carving, etc.), the demise of the manual gearbox was set in motion. For me it's simple. Pre 2009, manual gearbox all the way. 2009 and newer, PDK is the choice if you want the most performance out of your car.
I couldn't find a C2S with a 7-speed manual to test drive before ordering my car - even after visiting a few dealers. At one dealership they had a stripped down C2 with a manual I could test drive. He said the C2S is just like that ..... only more powerful and faster. So I bought it on faith and was pleasantly surprised when I finally got to drive my very own C2S with the 7-speed manual.
My last 911 was an '05 C2S with a 6-speed manual. This 7-speed is worlds apart by comparison. It really is a pleasure to drive.
Yeah, the numbers say the PDK is faster, etc., etc. But how many owners of PDK cars ever track their cars to appreciate the difference in performance? (I'm not a track guy myself - never been on a track and likely will never track my own car though I'd like to go to the Porsche Sport Driving Experience or whatever it's called just to experience some of the performance limits of the 911.)
And, finally, how many owners of PDK cars simply just put their cars in "D" and leave it and just drive like that, just using the gas and brake pedals like a typical automatic? Nothing wrong with that. Just sayin'.
#49
Pedals aren't close enough on modern manuals to actually heel and toe the way it's meant to be, unless you find comfort in your foot perpendicular to the floor while standing on the brake. I don't.
Ever been in an original BMW M1? The brake pedal and throttle are so close they're almost one, and the brake pedal is mounted higher than you'd find today.
Ever been in an original BMW M1? The brake pedal and throttle are so close they're almost one, and the brake pedal is mounted higher than you'd find today.
Never driven a BMW M1. I own a Mini Cooper, though, and those pedals are so close together I'm always hitting the brake when I press the clutch. It's made by BMW....maybe that explains it?
#50
This is all about money and it depends on how well they sell in the future, It seems to me that manuals have certain aura of exclusivity in America, it would be interesting to know what percentage of 991 Carrera offered are manuals. Here in Brasil there is not even one, none, zero. With tiptronic, manual was the logical choice, but after PDK no one wants a manual, they simply dont sell. I guess this is the tendency in most parts of the world, and considering that America no longer has the largest piece of Porsche market share, my prediction is that its days are counted.
#51
I didn't have the NEED either. But as a car freak I just took pride in mastering that skill.
#52
.... But how many owners of PDK cars ever track their cars to appreciate the difference in performance? (I'm not a track guy myself - never been on a track and likely will never track my own car though I'd like to go to the Porsche Sport Driving Experience or whatever it's called just to experience some of the performance limits of the 911.)
And, finally, how many owners of PDK cars simply just put their cars in "D" and leave it and just drive like that, just using the gas and brake pedals like a typical automatic? Nothing wrong with that. Just sayin'.
And, finally, how many owners of PDK cars simply just put their cars in "D" and leave it and just drive like that, just using the gas and brake pedals like a typical automatic? Nothing wrong with that. Just sayin'.
Hundreds or thousands of shifts per day (depending on where I go), every single one is amazing. Never gets old...
#53
If you'd rather use your right hand and left foot to change gears versus your fingertips, then have at it. I like both for different reasons, but you'll always be clumsy versus the perfect shifts of PDK or other dual clutch gearboxes designed to match revs during downshifts. Most important is being in the right gear per conditions, versus how you changed to that gear. Screwing up an aggressive downshift can have a catastrophic result.
#54
Mastering? If Hans Stuck would "sign you off" then ok. Ultimately blipping the throttle when down shifting does not require the heel and toe maneuver. Simply blip the throttle with your right foot the second you depress the clutch with your left. Heel and toe is only required in race conditions while downshifting through several gears (or if the clutch is depressed long enough to drop rpms to idle) while braking uninterrupted at maximum or near maximum force. If you do this while street driving, then you're just playing. Playing is a far cry from mastering the skill while racing..
-2- your answer also implies you do not really understand what H&T is and what it's for.
#55
Maybe working in tech for enough years explains my lack of excitement over software improvements on automatic transmissions... In any case, as always in this discussion, people should buy what they enjoy driving.
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andbos
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09-07-2015 07:13 PM