Photo: Porsche
Porsche might stop making the 911 with a manual gearbox. However, this will not happen shortly.
According to Thomas Brandl, Porsche's engineer in charge of the new engine range, explained that developing a new manual gearbox for the 911 would be difficult to justify regarding costs.
The insight was revealed to the journalists of Edmunds during an interview they made after a technical presentation of the facelifted 991 generation of the 911.
The Porsche engineer has explained that the company will keep using existing manual gearboxes for as long as they have customers for cars with this type of transmission.
However, the costs involved in the development of the next generation of manuals could be prohibitive even for Porsche if this kind of gearbox is no longer popular with customers.
In the case of the 911, almost 90% of customers choose the PDK version of the iconic model. Since just over 10% of clients buy manual versions of the 911, the costs of developing a new generation of this kind of transmission will not be justified by the sale potential of the unit.
Considering that Porsche might use the same manual transmission for a longer period, the 911 could keep the manual offering for as long as a new unit is not required.
Meanwhile, the PDK gearbox will enjoy continuous development, as the technology proves popular among buyers. The situation is not exclusive to Porsche, as BMW's M Division will not make manual transmission versions of the upcoming M5 and M6 models.
Other companies, such as Lamborghini and Ferrari, have been making manual-less models for some time, as their data has shown customers do not buy the manual version of the cars when they can choose a faster and more efficient automated gearbox.
In the case of some engine variants, the development of a manual gearbox is an intricate matter, as torque levels have reached new heights, and engineers must struggle to find solutions to ensure the clutch assembly and gearbox can handle the extra oomph.
If you take into account the fact that modern automatics are proven to be quicker and more efficient than comparable manuals, and can provide the same results in the hands of any driver, it is easy to understand the popularity of the automated transmissions, even in the Porsche range.
The insight was revealed to the journalists of Edmunds during an interview they made after a technical presentation of the facelifted 991 generation of the 911.
The Porsche engineer has explained that the company will keep using existing manual gearboxes for as long as they have customers for cars with this type of transmission.
However, the costs involved in the development of the next generation of manuals could be prohibitive even for Porsche if this kind of gearbox is no longer popular with customers.
In the case of the 911, almost 90% of customers choose the PDK version of the iconic model. Since just over 10% of clients buy manual versions of the 911, the costs of developing a new generation of this kind of transmission will not be justified by the sale potential of the unit.
Considering that Porsche might use the same manual transmission for a longer period, the 911 could keep the manual offering for as long as a new unit is not required.
Meanwhile, the PDK gearbox will enjoy continuous development, as the technology proves popular among buyers. The situation is not exclusive to Porsche, as BMW's M Division will not make manual transmission versions of the upcoming M5 and M6 models.
Other companies, such as Lamborghini and Ferrari, have been making manual-less models for some time, as their data has shown customers do not buy the manual version of the cars when they can choose a faster and more efficient automated gearbox.
In the case of some engine variants, the development of a manual gearbox is an intricate matter, as torque levels have reached new heights, and engineers must struggle to find solutions to ensure the clutch assembly and gearbox can handle the extra oomph.
If you take into account the fact that modern automatics are proven to be quicker and more efficient than comparable manuals, and can provide the same results in the hands of any driver, it is easy to understand the popularity of the automated transmissions, even in the Porsche range.
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