Not even close.

I would have much preferred seeing a 991 GT3 with a 4.2L and the RS with a 4.3L. Get it to well over 500HP NA. Mr Manthey and others are doing it. And take more weight off the car, keep it closer to 3,000 pounds.

 

The latest 2/20/14:

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...3-rs-spy-shots

 

Hold that thought....

 

I just read the "Shades of 1978 by Pete Von Behrens, in the Feb 2014 Panorama magazine that I just received. It quite nicely sums up why I think regarding this topic.

For me the 911 (all variants) have become quite generic and "soul less" for lack of a better word. I had the opportunity to drive many of the current Porsche cars - including variants of the 911 and to be honest, from the way the interior looked to the way the car drove, handled, smelled, felt (basically all senses), I had a tough time distinguishing between them. This was on the same street/road loop by the dealer at fairly reasonable speeds.

Basically if I am going to sit back in a comfortable, heated, cooled, leather seat, with one hand on the steering wheel, listening to beautifully piped stereo with sound manipulation, automatic everything, why would I want to be in a GT3? From a visceral, subjective, emotive perspective I have no inclination or desire to.

Cheers.

 

Here in lies the issue of "usability" - maybe Porsche wants to make all their cars more "usable" and less event based (track, weekend, etc.). I am assuming that they have done their homework and at the end of the day feel that this is the direction they need to go. As a society we want it all and if it comes in one amazing package, even better ?!?

A buddy of mine is a good example of this. He has always wanted a GT3 but lives downtown and has one parking spot in his condo. The 997s were too extreme and while he loved MT his driving was downtown 95% of the time - a pain for him. He purchased the 991 GT3 as it fits the bill. He can go to client meetings, drive it in the winter, and take it to the track on nice days. Best of all it says GT3 on the back and for all the wrong or right reasons it does it all... maybe at the cost of experience, differentiate, and visceral appeal - but it does it all. Maybe this is the new 991 GT3 customer Porsche was targeting at the loss of a few others?

 

I agree that the 991 GT3 is designed to appeal to a broader customer base. Hopefully the RS variant will target the hardcore enthusiast types by offering less creature comforts and both PDK and manual transmissions.

 

The problem with this argument is that it held true through all the 997 GT3 variants yet Porsche didn't offer a PDK option.

 

PDK ftw

 

Don't hold your breath.

But then during the 997 years, no one had an advanced dual clutch transmission in their sports cars. Now Ferrari, Lambo, and even Audi all have one...

 

Of course they did. Both '10/'11 458 and '12 M5 were DCT. That covers 997.2 GT RS and RS 4.0 model years.

 

The answer is really simple here. If Porsche sells more 991GT3s than 997GT3s, mission accomplished. They will, rest assured, fires or no fires. Therefore, the manual is dead. You've got a few more years in the Cayman/Boxter, at least until the next gen.

If their competitors still offered it, they would also. Ferrari doesn't. Lambo doesn't. No need for Porsche to. It's business folks, purity be damned.

I am not arguing that the manual is more engaging, and that you as a driver are more involved. I like the analogy about automatic steering and although I don't quite think it is the same, I can envision an argument 20 years from now on this very website that goes something like "damnit, I can no longer order a Porsche that let's me steer myself!". It's inevitable.

Funny thing is, I spend some time on the F-chat boards also ... don't recall any uproar when Ferrari abandoned the manual transmission. Or, if there was, it's long dead now. Accept it and move on. If you are dead set against PDK, you'll need to start shopping elsewhere ... but, honestly, where exactly is that? Corvette? Yeah, let's start that whole argument again.

 

"A buddy of mine is a good example of this. He has always wanted a GT3 but lives downtown and has one parking spot in his condo. The 997s were too extreme and while he loved MT his driving was downtown 95% of the time - a pain for him. He purchased the 991 GT3 as it fits the bill. He can go to client meetings, drive it in the winter, and take it to the track on nice days. Best of all it says GT3 on the back and for all the wrong or right reasons it does it all... maybe at the cost of experience, differentiate, and visceral appeal - but it does it all. Maybe this is the new 991 GT3 customer Porsche was targeting at the loss of a few others?"

No disrespect to your friend and I do agree that's what some customers want, but in my opinion at the point where you want a comfortable car that can drive on the snow, laughs at the rain, is quiet, has a great stereo, etc. and spends 95% of it's time in the center of town -- THEN IT"S NOT A GT3.

 

I agree with this wholeheartedly. The US market has spoken and unfortunately the traditional enthusiasts like us are in the minority. (For the record, I drive a PDK 991S and would prefer my GT3 to have PDK because I prefer PDK on the track and stick on the street. But I'm still saddened by the fact that the manual will inevitably disappear soon).

The only (slim) hope for manual-only guys is that in new markets, such as China and eventually India etc., enough buyers demand a manual that to make it worth Porsche's time to keep making them.

 

If there is never a manual in the 991 GT3/RS models then I won't ever own one. Porsche can either produce a manual version or their customers will select other options.

 

But that's exactly the problem people are going to have. What other option is there in the same category as the GT3/RS that still has a manual transmission?