Porsche 997 911 GT3: The Manual Gearbox's Last Gasp 

Here I am in 2021....hoping these things go down in price, but to no avail.

Here I m in 2022, I m still happy to own one with manual gear box .

Here I am in 2023. Grateful to have the last manual transmission RS coupled with the legendary mezger engine and hydraulic steering in the 997 body. 😊

i sure did !

Roubert Marvin look at the prices ^^ they went through the roof in the recent years.

Uh, are you actually going to tell me that old manuals are not outdated? That's a real blind comment to say.

They've gotten easier to use over the years, but that's not to say they've gotten faster. The speed relies, still, entirely on the user's ability, and the design is also relatively the same. Paddle shift gearboxes however are only as quick as the computer software allows them. Computing power by the way is ever increasing. This means, as I explained before, that yesterday's paddles are outdated, todays' will be as well. You can however shift a manual today just as quickly as you could a manual from years ago. Now do you wanna take a shot or is just telling me I'm wrong or making blind statements all the argument you're capable of?

Lol, calm down buddy, let's break things down. 1) Your first comment says something about 90s autos are horrid, and 2000s ones are fading, and soon the autos of today are going to be obsolete. Do you know why? Because the essence of the technology in the gearboxes are changing. It's not fading because it's an automatic, it's fading because new ones are being introduced. In relation, not entirely similar, how 4-speed manuals are no longer around, not because it's a manual, but because 5, 6, and now 7-speed gearboxes have been developed. So you argument of manuals last and autos don't is, well, unrelated. 2) I'm not going to tell you you're wrong in your second comment because you're right. But because your second comment diverges from your first, this is quite meaningless. 3) Let's go back to you saying, autos of today will become obsolete. No, they will not become obsolete. Just like how inconvenient dog leg manuals in old Ferraris are not obsolete. They are old tech, they are harder to use, but like you said, they can be used. Such will be the case for DCTs and some quite quick autos of today. In the future, they may be regarded as slow, just like how one might look at the auto gearbox in a 430 to be slow compared to, say, a PDK, but it will still be enjoyable, it will remind drivers of cars of past, making the transmission, far from obsolete. 4) Speed is to the automatic, as usability is to the manual. They are the characteristic of the transmission that gets developed upon throughout the years. To directly compare usability for both, or speed for both, does not make sense. Also, this brings me back to the point in point #3. A harder to use manual brings a driver mentally and emotionally to a point in time in the past, so to speak. A slower, less "intelligent" auto, again let's use the one in the 430, will do the same.

I'm perfectly calm. And without your telling me to be, by the way. 1) If you had bothered to read my comment, you'd know that's what I already wrote, that the computing power increases every year making the gearboxes that function based on that technology, obsolete. 2) My second comment doesn't diverge from my first. I wrote originally that a manual cannot outdate itself. In my second comment, I wrote that you could shift a manual today as quickly as you could a manual from years ago. So you've still got your work cut out for you explaining that one. 3) Something that is old tech, that isn't being used, is obsolete. Manuals will become obsolete soon when they're no longer used at all. Paddle shift gearboxes of years ago are obsolete. That's why they're constantly developing new ones, with the computing power of the day. If you bought a paddle shift car in the 90's, it will shift slowly compared to paddle gearboxes of the last decade, which are slower than todays. You should get the idea, but you're not, still. "but it will still be enjoyable, it will remind drivers of cars of past, making the transmission, far from obsolete". What an absurd statement. Horseback riding reminds people of the past too and they enjoy it, but riding horses around is an obsolete form of transportation. Listening to records is an obsolete form of listening to music, but people enjoy it. 4) "Speed is to the automatic, as usability is to the manual". That's just wrong I'm afraid. Manuals used to be much quicker than automatics. It wasn't until that long ago that it became the other way around, but that doesn't mean the philosophy of use has changed. What's easier to use in your opinion, two pedals or one? Clicking a paddle or moving a lever around? "To directly compare usability for both, or speed for both, does not make sense". I'm not comparing speed for both or usability for both. I said paddle shift gearboxes outdate the paddle shift gearboxes before them because of the increase in computing power over short periods of time. Manuals however can be shifted just as quick today as they could years ago. "A slower, less "intelligent" auto, again let's use the one in the 430, will do the same". Doesn't make the slightest difference to anything I wrote.

Alec D. Lol, it's alright, everything you have said in that comment is blatantly ignoring my point and enforcing yours. Nice talking to you

As long as I still have to get out and crank start the engine, I'm OK with all that.

I am from the future people are continuing to "optimize" the humanity out of them god is a computer to these people

@@thedog5k hello time traveler. So what else went wrong :)

This is so true...I'll proboly never be able to afford any 911 but whenever I talk to someone with one in a grocery parking lot or wherever, usually their a doctor or have some other profession that makes a lot of $$ and are tired and honestly don't know much about what they are driving...

Yeah, I don't understand why they developed that new box and didn't even give GT3 owners the option to use it.

Well said...I for one would not forgo the new GT3 simply because there is no manual; the car is still insanely good!

They are not as much fun on the road as the older raw air cooled models. They are fantastic on the track even with their paddle shift which make you think you are a racing driver even if you are not. They have amazing grip and instant power from the corners and fun to use with paddle shift but that is not really going to be good to use on open public roads.

How right you were 👋

well now it does

So it drives for you... Where's the fun in that?? Okay, it's still fun to drive, but much less fun for a lot of people who love the thrill and skill of driving.

Its certainly more involving to drive manual car than it is to simply flip a paddle.

c3o5nnect Honestly, you sound like just because you're moving a lever instead of a paddle, you're being SO much more involved. It sure feels like you are, I'll concede that, but in reality, you really are not.

ewt415 well you are a little bit more involved, because you're using the clutch pedal as well. If it was just a case of pushing a gear stick then yeah I'd agree, but its not. You have to balance the amount of pressure you're putting on the gas pedal and the clutch pedal at the same time as selecting the gear with the stick, and feed the clutch in correctly to engage the next gear. I'm not saying that is particularly difficult, but just that you can't really say that's not any more involved at all than simply keeping your foot on the gas and pulling a paddle. I own a manual car and a car with dual clutch paddle shift - both have their advantages and disadvantages... but I just like the extra control you have from a manual because of the clutch pedal.

ewt415 you're using both feet and both hands at all times. tell me again how it's not involving?

Admiral General Aladeen Of The Republic of Wadiya no mezger

Exactly! I buy a car for fun, not to set world records. I'd gladly give up a few 1/10 of a sec in exchange for the fun and control of a real manual. It was extremely difficult to find a manual 991 at the dealership and I has to custom order my car, but I'm so glad to have a real manual.

But if the vast majority of their clients prefer PDK maybe they do care about their clients. To develop manual gearboxes that fewer and fewer are buying does not make sense. And that is even on the cheaper models. No business can offer everything for all possible clients so they always choose their segment and put their money and R&D there and right now the big majority wants PDK. It was the same with Ferrari. They actually tried to hold on to manuals as long as they could but the manual sales at Ferrari was even less that at Porsche. I think in the end it was only 10% when they finally gave it up.

coolvideos193 ALL RACE CARS? Where did you get that FACT from? I drive a E86 Z4M Coupe, manual and I love it. But I think your use of a hyperbole to describe ALL race cars was a little over the top?

coolvideos193 Did you really just say ALL race cars are manual? Completely false statement. Don't really know of many other racing series left with a true manual gearbox other than NASCAR. Everyone else has been using sequential boxes for quite a while now.

coolvideos193 F1, LMP1, Indycar, and newer GT3 class cars are not manuals. Don't try to argue with someone when you have no clue what you are talking about. Dual clutch, single clutch, tiptronic gearboxes allow you to control the RPMs AND they give you faster consistent shifts. Dual clutch > manual every fucking day.

***** Why would you even think of buying the GT3 then? The GT3 is a track focused car. Want a driver's car? Get the Carrera.

***** Coming from a Porsche enthusiast (I'm assuming you are), that was quite an ignorant thing to say.

ewt415 How so? The GT3 is a track focused car whereas the Carrera is focused on the driver hence the different promo locations. The GT3 is always shown at the track whilst the Carrera is shown on a canyon or mountain road. You get the GT3 if you want to put down fast lap times. You get the Carrera if you want the purer experience.

LSG Drizzt No no, not you. Notice I was talking to Ashish Pradhan.

ewt415 My bad, friend. Didn't see the first portion. But yes, Ashish is pretty ignorant.

manual hasn't been necessary since the automatic gearbox was invented.Manual is way more fun, more engaging and you have better control over the car

Hassan 504 Yes but if you want one you have to pay $600k. You can find Gt3s for mid 100s

"One does not simply drive a car, he becomes it."

and water cooling for the 911's. And nixing the front engine cars. And not making a Cayman Turbo

Think of it this way. The entire automotive industry is inevitable steering towards using electric steering, just like how years back, it went from non-assisted to assisted, so on and so forth. Since it's going to happen sooner or later anyway, Porsche probably decided that it was for the best to get in early in the game. So by the time the other supercar and sportscar makers start using electric steering, Porsche would have already had years and years of experience with it, while the others are only starting out. It's better in the long run.

ewt415 Doesn't matter. The 911 should be about the driving experience. Not what's faster. They have the 918 to be fast or a Cayman Turbo would probably wax a 911.

MangoSmoothie16 You clearly did not read what I wrote lol. I'm saying the industry is very likely going to all use electric steering sooner or later. Therefore, by getting in the game early on, Porsche will have more experience with electric steering, thus allowing them to make the electric steering with more feel than its competitors.

ewt415 No I understand. I'm just saying electric assist takes away from the driving experience. And Porsche tries to create the ultimate driving experience. Therefore they should say fuck it and be the only company without it.

dude take a look at the porsche website....

Rent one

Don't kid yourself, as good as I'm sure you are, you don't have enough proper skill to make up for the lack of a PDK.

ewt415 As usual, you missed his point.

pete g Read John Kirby's comment. He believes he can make up the difference between a PDK and a manual with "propper skill". I'm all for driving pleasure and fun in a manual transmission car, but if you're so fucking delusional to think that ANYONE can make up for the difference in performance with just "propper skill", you are an idiot.

ewt415 Reel drivers are human TCC & ABS etc we dont need that stuf because we have the footwork and feel to control the car to the max. Only abs can be handy because you can brake wile cornering wich can save you almost half a second per corner when propper driven. Dont believe me check a vid of Ayrton senna in the rain and how he controls his shitty f1 ride like human ecu proccesor without ecu or driver aid. Its skill that wins races because an ecu cant feel wat your ass feels and what your foot feels in the rain and on ice because conditions are never perfect when racing.. Ecu's have fear when they think your crashing they will do stuppid things when you dont want them to do. We dont have fear, we think 2 corners ahead.

ewt415 As usual, you're missing the point. What he and so many others are saying on this topic is that very few of the people who prefer automatic or semi-automatic systems are actually highly skilled drivers. They need these systems to compensate for their own lack of skill. In otherwise equal cars, a skilled driver would be faster with a manual than a less skilled driver with the best PDK. THAT is the point. As for your assertion that no one could make up for the difference in performance with skill, are you saying you in a PDK could beat say Walter Rohrl in a manual of otherwise equal cars? What idiot would say, let alone believe something like that?