Each to their own, but for me a decent manual box is such a large part of what makes a good driver's car. I'd love a manual 911. I have no interest in the PDK at all.
I don’t care about bhp or speed, I care about the drive and the feel of my Porsche hence I went for a manual for the ultimate driving engagement rather than a redundant left foot. I will never give up my manual tranny and naturally aspirated flat six engine for anything else, whilst I totally get the PDK and turbo engine for better efficiency and performance as an option, I prefer the analog engine setup and drive.
I know that many people are not interested in driving a manual, but I understand that most of those have never learned to drive one. I drive an M3 manual and the best thing I can point to is that you always feel you have more control over shift points, both for corners as well as merging into traffic, etc…
I think the manual is more fun (clearly the PDK is "better"), but fun is why you have the car, right? Resale in the USA is better with the manual. Almost every generation has higher resale with manual. Prior generations of the automatic were bad and therefore those cars are losers at resale. The GT3, if used as intended, on the track, should be PDK as that is where the performance enhancements of the PDK make a difference. But still, the older GT3s go for more if in a manual.
Not just Porsches, many others Stateside are going for manuals now. Mainly due to horror stories and worse expenses with various forms of so called automatics in the USA. Manuals are far more reliable. The very amusing and informative USA based RUclipsr Scotty Kilmer has pointed out this trend many times. That in the land that folks often call cars Autos which as Jack states, is surprising. That news surprised me when Scotty first highlighted it. Most Porsches maybe all are irrelevant Jack, like many other cars are in fact. Some are nice to drive though as you latest offering clearly shows.
By the way. Great looking Porsche with one exception. I do not like that Grey which is a close to the XPG and Granite Grey on my MGs. The colour haunts me. Had far too many dull as ditchwater greys which predominate in the ocean of Greyness on UK roads today and for more than a decade. Why did I buy them? Simple, right place right time good car bargains. That's why ..👍
Actually no A PDK is not better. If you take a manual transmission car and you bump the horsepower and torque it will be as fast if not faster than A PDK
A large part of the reason I prefer manual to auto is the hope that, being simpler, the trans will last longer and be cheaper to fix when it fails. I also prefer the immediacy and predictability of torque delivery in relation to clutch control and gear choice. Not saying manual is better but those are my reasons for preferring a stick shift and I have driven and owned both.
Put simply, the manual option for fogeys like us, is more engaging, and a huge part of the enjoyment of [pretending!] to drive fast. You feel like you're more in control of the experience. The PDK is undeniably better, and certainly not the deal-breaker a tiptronic is, and is quite tempting the older I get, but I still remember the days of a 'box that really positively "snicks" into gear like a 2000E/Rocket or Type 9 with a Quaife kit, and even the fantastically positive Mk1 MX-5 gearbox, and that's a huge part of the experience.
We have 4 manual cars. We have nothing against paddles but we don't drive on a track more then a few times a year and are you really going to notice the difference in fuel economy? The younger generation will love the paddles as they enjoy things we dont. Live and let live.
@@pjay3028 Rented a few triptronics, had a Golf GTI triptronic but just didn't work for me. Did the playstation thing for years and also wasn't my thing. Guess its all down to what you prefer. We have an Elise S2 1zz, integrale Evo 2, Golf Gti, Golf 2 syncro country, all are manual and for us we prefer this. But I think the younger generation will prefer flappy paddles which is fine.
Anything rewarding in life takes skill & effort…it’s soulless drinking instant coffee, listening to low res music with poor ear buds, eating fast food and driving an automatic sports car…
Jack, I was lucky enough to drive a 992 4S with the 8 speed PDK last weekend and I think the speed of the gear changes sold me on it over the manual box. I loved the way you can either leave it in automatic, or take manual control when circumstances dictated (e.g. dropping a gear into a corner) and then allowing the car to revert to auto. I am working out how I can afford to buy one!
I think if the car was my daily I’d take the PDK, however if it’s my weekend toy I’d definitely go for a manual and change the model to a 964 😂. Cracking stuff Jack 👍
The PDK sounds like garbage. It sounds like a shitty continuation. A manual is a true driver's car. And if you don't know how to drive a stick shift. I'm sorry. But a stick shift is way more fun. And they make the car sound better. . Only sissys that don't know how to drive a stick shift will buy an automatic. Knowing how to drive a gated 6 is a skill. . I hate the sound of A PDK.
I have a manual 2024 911 Carrera S and I love it. You buy a car like this to have fun driving and the manual is more fun whether you are driving high speed in the mountains or just going to the grocery store. Yes I wish second gear wasn't so long - if you go through the gears you are going to jail speed by the time you shift into 4th - but the acceleration in 2nd gear is amazing and still really good in 3rd. The manual may not be as fast as the PDK but you don't feel that when you are driving it. My previous car was a 2011 Corvette Grand Sport which I though had great acceleration but this 911 is on a whole different level and the handling is simply amazing.
I can't imagine having a sports car (not a hyper car) with paddles. The whole reason for their existence in my world is fun and shifting is part of the involvement with the car. That said I'd skip the 911 and get a Cayman if I had to have a Porsche.
Really, is fuel economy worth worrying about for Porsche owners? How many miles a year do they drive, what is the difference in fuel consumption, and the consequent difference in expenditure? Not having access to the numbers, my guess is it's a rounding error in the cost.
I reckon it’d cool if Porsche released a modern day narrow track 912, with a 250(ish) horsepower 4 cylinder engine, close ratio manual g/box, short ratio diff, a lightweight trim spec of ~1250kg and 4 seats. That’d be a hoot!
@@БранимирПетров Yes, It’s close, but because the Cayman uses a mid engine layout, instead of a rear, it doesn’t have 4 seats and isn’t as practical for a daily driver…
Thanks Jack - interesting. I bought a 997.2 and initially looked only at manuals but found a PDK I liked and bought it. I fitted a flappy paddle to have some more control on occasions, but I quite like to drive PDK in sports mode. When I am doing some overtaking PDK optimises the acceleration and the engine sounds good screaming at the top of the rev range and I know I couldn't do the same job in manual. I think if I bought a much older Porsche I would want a manual, but for something fairly modern I reckon the PDK is perhaps better for me.
I got stuck in a traffic jam on the tapped zee bridge across the Hudson River in New York in an Alfa gtv-6 with a single plate clutch and I don’t think I have ever recovered. I drove both and I have a pdk, I love it, but it took time for me to appreciate. You can keep talking about the manual if you want, no more third pedals thank you.
The shaved 35kg for the manual vs the pdk mainly in the rear area should re balance for about 2% less in back or more on front axle, a bit closer to a cayman balance. Fuel economy on Swiss slow highway 7.0L/100 km, that is 30% less vs my ex gt4/981.Spirited drive is still a bit better too but that turbo engine is amazing from top done to mid range to high revs if has it all.
Great video Jack. I'm not surprised by the American statistic, where manuals are favoured above automatics. 'Driving stick', is not something the majority of Americans grew up with, therefore knowing how to do so, is seen as a driving skill, which adds to the overall driving experience. In Ireland and the UK, the vast majority of people in their 30s+, grew up learning to drive a manual. It's only in the last 10 years, with the advancement of automatics (more gears, quicker shifting, more reliability) that we see them more commonly available across all car segments, at this stage more common than a manual. The PDK is undoubtedly better, but the manual will always be more prized.
For me the 7 speeds is on a Fast and Furious level of ridiculous. I take the entry level car and put the money towards options that matter to me. Nice video. Keep up the good work.
If you're worried about mpg, don't buy a performance car, if you're worried about being slightly quicker, there is always someone faster. Edit.. If you want to get into micro seconds then you need find something else in your life.
Ok.. you asked what is probably the dumbest question I think I've heard in a long time.. "is a manual 911 relevant?" LOL!! YES!! The bigger question is... are you?
Couldn't agree more. For all the reasons you have. I'm a high mileage driver of my daily (Merc E), which is auto and I'm glad it is, but my occasional use 911 HAD to be manual. Way more engaging.
I agree Jack, the PDK is 'statistically' better, but manual is more involving and desirable. PDK is an outstanding piece of machinery. However, I chose manual on a Boxster 4.0 GTS, but if I was using it as a daily car, I might be tempted with PDK. On the autoblip on change down, you can switch it off by going to the individual setting (at 9 o'clock on the dial). You can set it up as per Sport but without autoblip.
Personally I prefer the added involvement of a manual gearbox to automatics though the PDK is probably the best paddleshift on the market. Having said that, from reading road test reports the 992 manual box is not a patch on the six speed manual in a GT3.
Pity it does rev matching in sport mode - catching the throttle with the side of my foot while braking to match the revs is a big part of driving enjoyment for me - I do it all the time on the road and is major part of interaction with the car.
I’m 56 and got my license at 17 in 1982 it was almost compulsory to have a manual drivers license to get any job in my area so everyone back then did, Nowadays I drive automatic V8’s as daily drivers (one by choice one not but it was free from a friend… long story) I have owned a lot of manual hyper cars so mixed feelings there too, I do miss it at times.
I had a F1 360 back in the day when Schumacher was cleaning up in F1 .Soon realised I was just a passenger surrounded by electrotwackery.Went back to a “stick shift “308 and started to have fun again .If it’s your 2nd or 3 rd ( like American cousins ) then it has to be a manual.
Totally agree Jack. I have a manual 718 boxster. I recently test drove a gts4.0 as I was getting a bit giddy over the idea. The demo car was a cayman pdk. It was unbelievably quick, much faster than mine, no turbo lag, and sounds great when revved out, not that you can do that much on uk roads. It did however have a less than pleasant mid range tone from the engine, which no-one mentions in reviews, which you get when pootling through traffic, which initially put me off the model a bit. But the pdk just took away the fun. It was forever changing when I didn't want it to change, and even if I overrode it with the paddles, after 6s it decides its going to select the gear again for you. I guess if I got used to setting it up I could stop it from doing that, but it was actually negative fun. It annoyed me. It was also so fast, that like the 911 you drove, you didn't actually have to do anything much on any road to break limits. I got back in my 718 happy enough that for the time being. Of course I'd have bought the gts4.0 in manual if I'd decided to go for it, but the weird mid range drone, and it being so fast I could hardly ever do anything with it on the road, has currently made me stay put. Even the bit of turbo lag I don't actually mind, it gives you something to think about - how to avoid it and keep it spinning - which can actually contribute to entertainment value. The 4cyl is also slightly lighter I think, which can make it feel more nimble. Try one sometime, its no Elise, but its still good fun and with a few more home comforts.
Ah, that lovely 911 sound. Still much the same as the 911SC that I had in the 1980's. Tom Cruise was right, in the film 'Risky Business'..... "Porsche.., there is no other".
Ive always been a manual fan, but I am not over it. Having blatted around in a mates Yaris GR the thing I got annoyed with first was the gearbox. Involvement to one side, we all like some heel and toe, most of the time the DCT is just better on all levels. Quicker, safer, smoother etc.
Most modern performance cars are so fast the performance numbers don't really matter out on the road, what matter is how enjoyable and engaging is the car to drive.
Love Porsche and that one is a lovely colour but it just looks porky to me a bit overweight styling wise. When you park an early 911 next to a new model you realise just how massive the design is now. Think I'd have the PDK.
Economy really depends on your driving style and how you shift with the manual, you can do more than 40mpg if you drive 60 - 70mph in 7th on the Autobahn or B roads.
I had the 991.2 C2S in PDK.. the reason.. the manual box shift quality was awful.. However despite the fact the 992 uses the same gearbox they have improved the shift quality massively. If I had a 992 now it would be a manual. It suits the Feel and character of the 911.. in the same way a dual clutch box suits my Huracan EVO rwd.
I’m making the MT vs PDK decision for my 992 T. I was 100% going for manual… until I drove a PDK Carrera S. Loved it. I certainly understand the emotional attachment to the MT, but I think a lot of people’s opinions about PDK on a 911 are unfounded. (Not that that matters.)
I have a 15 year old MERC CLK , with a decent auto gearbox there is no going back .Always thought i would never own an auto car ,its the first in 35 years .1800 is cheap when compared to 125k for tone paintwork on a Bugatti
Those of us in the US that are ACTUALLY car aficionados do prefer manuals. It’s just that the overwhelming % of the sheeple want automatics, and we get left out. But when us Americans get to CHOOSE (usually by ordering straight from the dealer) we will choose manual.
I'm luck enough to have both. The PDK box was a 2k option on mine when I bought it, but I prefer a manual so I spent the savings on other goodies. The PDK box in our other car nannies you too much, always looking to change up, even when you use it in manual mode. Plus you have to factor in an expensive PDK service every second time too. Oh, and there is pretty much no such thing as a standard Porsche - most buyers option about 10% of the base cost on extras. Porsche did a survey about 5 years ago and in a three year production run, there were only two cars that had exactly the same spec.
I own C4 corvette... with manual. I will newer swap it for automatic. Do I manual fan at all? Not exactly because in company car I prefer to have automatic when driving over 50kkm per year. But classic sport car must be stick shift.
I know the problem of new manual cars. The geering is too high. I've rented a 2020 mini, was great fun but after revving up in 2nd gear I'm already speeding..
I think the manual would make most sense on the base model with 80 less horsepower, where you would be able rev it out a bit more on the road, certainly if buying the car for road use. Otherwise, I think the S is realistically already almost too powerful for the manual on the road. And on track, the PDK is for sure faster and better, and that's also where the wear protection factor comes most into play. However, if you take a car on track to be able to rev the car out without risk to your licence, rather than to race and achieve the fastest possible lap times, then the manual also makes sense. For most people, who don't track their cars, and especially for those who use their 911 as a daily, I think the manual makes little sense, certainly as it's not available on the base Carrera/Carrera 4 models, because as noted in this video, even when you get to an open road, the gearing is such that you don't actually need to change gear much, and with the newer turbocharged engines you actually drive the torque rather than the power curve, and anyway, they don't scream as much at the top end. In city traffic, especially in London traffic, I think you have to be a hardcore purist, even a masochist, to buy a manual S as a daily driver. These new turbocharged engines are designed to be used in conjunction with the PDK, and that's a fact. All that said; it is also a fact that longer term, on the used market, the manuals will almost certainly be the most desirable. Although, it has to be said that PDK (double-clutch) versus manual desirability factor is not the same as the automated manual (single-clutch) vs manual factor that we see play out for other brands like Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, etc. Even the old Porsche Tiptronic vs manual desirability factor isn't the same. The old Tiptronic models are still popular because people buying entry-level Porsche 996s and 997.1s are generally buying the car as their daily and only car, and most live in cities, so it still makes most sense. It makes sense to compromise the majority of your driving the least, rather than the other way round. So, I think it's going to come down to how much the fact that the turbocharged (991.2/992 and onward) cars, in particular, are designed to work hand-in-hand with the PDK, and that the manuals only continue to exist because of a vocal minority of hardcore purists, plays out on the used market in the future. Of course, there may well be other market forces, like so-called green taxes, that could, for instance, make manuals more expensive to tax. Who knows? The fact that manuals are only 10% of the market will almoost certainly be a factor, but maybe only if they are no longer available new, as per Ferrari and the used Ferrari market. So far, what we see on the used Ferrari market hasn't been anywhere near as dramatic on the used Porsche market, or indeed the market for any other brand than Ferrari. And I note that Jaguar brought back the manual for the F-Type due to apparent demand, and in reality few people bought one, and so the facelifted F-Type has dropped the manual altogether (along with the much loved and also much criticised V6, without even replacing it with JLR's new I6). For now, I think the status quo will continue, 90% will choose a PDK car and 10% will choose a manual, for whatever personal reasons. And I think it would be a bit of a shame if a day were to come that manuals were twice the price of PDKs, and most of those who really want a manual are priced out of the market, while manuals are bought by collectors, mostly to sit dormant. Surely, that's a day that no manual enthusiast wants, so we should rejoice that people can still buy whichever 'flavour' they want with little to no price penalty.
I’d answered the question before pressing the ‘play’ button…manual for me. Another good video Jack; incidentally, do you ever see Harry Metcalfe coming the other way? 😉
The thrill of pdk in a 992 on a twisty road is incomparable with the manual. You cannot take the best of these cars with a manual. Manual is for straight roads and slow drives where you need some additional enjoyment. Those who talk about engagement, go into manual but also reduce the size of wheels and brakes and drive without traction control. Most of the RUclips influencers do not talk about the cars but about themselves and how cool they are that appreciate manual vs auto. Enjoy your manuals, i will stick to my awesome pdk and super car that 992 is
I've never driven a pdk or any dual clutch but I detest the sound and feel of an auto especially when just taking of, I've driven diesels and petrols with autos and I quickly try to find something else that interests my and usually fail as the tech doesn't excite me.
The logical argument for people that believe the PDK is better than the manual would be an EV would be better than the PDK. With EV no shifting at all so no loss when autoshifting , but that would sound ridiculous to the PDK loyal. I have a manual Miata and Lotus which I loved, but I also have a Tesla with a seemingly never-ending power band, which I also love. There is room for both
This is the same logic I use. I have several manual cars - a couple BMWs, an Audi S4 and a 997.2 911 - all 6 speed. I also have a Tesla Model S P90D. I love driving my manuals for the involvement and engagement even when driving slow as most of the time you have to on a commute. But when I read or watch videos about cars like the new M5 CS or Audi RS6, I have no interest - if the car is going to shift for me, I might as well drive my Tesla - its faster and requires no more driver input than a DCT/PDK. And while the Tesla may not handle like an M5 CS on a track, it certainly handles well enough for any curve on most highways or any on-ramp on any commute. Again another reason I prefer manuals to PDK is that most of the time you are not on a track and the manual keeps you involved.
I did an experience day once at Silverstone Porsche centre and the instructor questioned me on my choice of manual to the point of me rolling my eyes and having to tell him I drive an automatic in my everyday car, give me a break....was also gutted I just missed having Richard Attwood drive me and maybe he knew that and was bitter about it 😂
Sale numbers say all, that is what manufacturer looks for. The market is different what tubers says. That is why some are tubers and some work in high places for car firms. Buyers know what they are buying and pdk is superior in every aspect. In Europe majority of cars use manual, which is totally opposite of usa consumers. You buy sport car for performance.
In the modern world there is no real tangible reason period to have a manual. With that said, i am a person who deals with computers all day and automation is my job. It's a pleasure getting out the office jumping in my manual equiped car and taking it through the hills on the way home. So if the choice is one for me to make it's a manual trans on anything with sporty pretensions. I will leave the pdk or auto the the journalists who think they are Schumacher on the track.
@@stevemawer848 i would normally agree with you. However modern auto boxes are both stronger and cheaper to maintain than a modern manual. Modern manual will cost 600$-3$k for a clutch job, vs about 300$ for a fluid change on an auto of the same vintage and miles.
The more they remove from the driver the duller the car and less connected to the car and in turn the road you are. Probably why I like old cars where your in full control and get tons of feed back. My current car although fun to drive I am disconnected by the fly by wire and electric powers steering.
Jack don’t forget that all 991.1 GT3s were only available as PDK hence the figures. Only the 991.2 GT3 sorted that and offered a manual. So lots of owners may have preferred a manual but they weren’t going to not buy a GT3 because it was PDK. There’s a reason Porsche had a rethink and offered a manual again for the gen2 GT3. 😉 As ever, the newer the car, the faster and more capable it is and PDK makes it quicker again. I guess it depends how fast you “need” to go to have fun or how much pub bragging rights you want for your 0-60 time. To me anything after mid-noughties doesn’t appeal but we are all different and that’s cool. As long as we can all see something good in someone else’s choice that’s fine. We are all petrolheads after all. 👍🏻
Not what you would expect? Porsche has stated that if not for demand from American customers they would've dropped the manual option completely Some time ago
It makes perfect sense to have a manual. I for one will not buy an automatic until there isn’t a single manual left in the world. I hate automatic vehicles.
Mixed feelings here. Unfortunately I haven't been able to drive a high-end PDK equipped car but presumably they have now reached a level of sophistication where a manual box becomes almost a gimmick. Having said that, I miss driving manual cars but perhaps the answer to that is to go the whole hog and buy a car from that era. For cars at the cheaper end of the market, I think manual still makes sense. I run a DSG equipped VW as there is no manual option available here. Although it works pretty well over 90% of the time, it does occasionally make a wrong prediction and even when I put it into manual mode, it changes down too early for my liking, overriding my manual input if the revs drop below a certain amount. The worst situation is when I negotiate a steep descent in second, it will often suddenly go into first with quite a jerk when I would rather it stay in second and let me lightly use the brakes to keep the speed in check.
A manual gearbox is a more engaging driving experience, you are in total control of the drive. The driver has to be more aware of what is going on the road and pay more attention. In an auto you do not pay as much attention to the road and what is going on around you because the car will always change down.
I don't understand the sentiment that the manual is only enjoyable on the weekends or on a track while the automatic is better for daily driving. When you are driving spiritedly at the limit, either a PDK or a manual can be fun - I happen to prefer the manual, though if I was going for lap times maybe the PDK. But the beauty of the manual is that 90% of the time when commuting you are not driving fast and yet the manual is still enjoyable because it gives you something to do! How can you enjoy the PDK in routine traffic? Its boring. But shifting a manual even when driving slow (not talking about bumper to bumper stop and go) on your commute is enjoyable because it is involving - doesn't have to be ripping to red line to be enjoyable. It just makes you engaged in the commute, no matter the speed. And I do agree with Jack that 0-60 time is irrelevant, but the feeling of acceleration is not - and once you are in gear, the feeling of acceleration is the same, the time lost in 0-60 is in the shifts, not in the push in the back.
Auto for regular cars? Absolutely. Auto for fun cars? No. I don't car about the sliver of a second or the fuel economy - I care about the experience. Give me the MANUAL!
There is not a single logical reason for having the manual, well except for repair costs if they go wrong, but I’d still have the manual. There is nothing quite like the satisfaction of nailing perfect gear changes in a proper sports car.
A nice objective insight Jack. Porsche was a car I always wanted to own, I had the opportunity 20 years back to buy a 911 air cooled version, even had the wife's (treasurer, minister for finance), approval to purchase if I wanted it. I'd never been in a Porsche let alone driven one. The drive exploded my dream, I was absolutely disappointed, not what I expected at all. Of course they are a great drivers car, but just not for me, maybe I'm not a great enough driver.
I'll take a manual over an auto for a sporty car any day. I think a case could be also be made for safety if one associates driver involvement with awareness.
I have never been able to afford a modern Porsche, but I have had a VW Golf GTI with the DSG box (I suppose similar to PDK). It was very fast in changing up/down, but it made the whole experience somewhat soulless and sterile. Great in commuting in traffic, but always left me disappointed on a fast country road. So for me, sports car=manual, lazy mile muncher=auto.
Each to their own, but for me a decent manual box is such a large part of what makes a good driver's car. I'd love a manual 911. I have no interest in the PDK at all.
Same Same.
I don’t care about bhp or speed, I care about the drive and the feel of my Porsche hence I went for a manual for the ultimate driving engagement rather than a redundant left foot. I will never give up my manual tranny and naturally aspirated flat six engine for anything else, whilst I totally get the PDK and turbo engine for better efficiency and performance as an option, I prefer the analog engine setup and drive.
This is an absurd argument. A manual brings the driving experience to life.
I know that many people are not interested in driving a manual, but I understand that most of those have never learned to drive one. I drive an M3 manual and the best thing I can point to is that you always feel you have more control over shift points, both for corners as well as merging into traffic, etc…
I’ve had 8 manual 911s. No interest after the PDK. NONE. unless I buy an older one
I think the manual is more fun (clearly the PDK is "better"), but fun is why you have the car, right?
Resale in the USA is better with the manual. Almost every generation has higher resale with manual.
Prior generations of the automatic were bad and therefore those cars are losers at resale.
The GT3, if used as intended, on the track, should be PDK as that is where the performance enhancements of the PDK make a difference. But still, the older GT3s go for more if in a manual.
Not just Porsches, many others Stateside are going for manuals now. Mainly due to horror stories and worse expenses with various forms of so called automatics in the USA. Manuals are far more reliable.
The very amusing and informative USA based RUclipsr Scotty Kilmer has pointed out this trend many times. That in the land that folks often call cars Autos which as Jack states, is surprising. That news surprised me when Scotty first highlighted it.
Most Porsches maybe all are irrelevant Jack, like many other cars are in fact. Some are nice to drive though as you latest offering clearly shows.
By the way. Great looking Porsche with one exception. I do not like that Grey which is a close to the XPG and Granite Grey on my MGs. The colour haunts me. Had far too many dull as ditchwater greys which predominate in the ocean of Greyness on UK roads today and for more than a decade. Why did I buy them? Simple, right place right time good car bargains. That's why ..👍
Actually no A PDK is not better. If you take a manual transmission car and you bump the horsepower and torque it will be as fast if not faster than A PDK
A large part of the reason I prefer manual to auto is the hope that, being simpler, the trans will last longer and be cheaper to fix when it fails. I also prefer the immediacy and predictability of torque delivery in relation to clutch control and gear choice. Not saying manual is better but those are my reasons for preferring a stick shift and I have driven and owned both.
Put simply, the manual option for fogeys like us, is more engaging, and a huge part of the enjoyment of [pretending!] to drive fast. You feel like you're more in control of the experience.
The PDK is undeniably better, and certainly not the deal-breaker a tiptronic is, and is quite tempting the older I get, but I still remember the days of a 'box that really positively "snicks" into gear like a 2000E/Rocket or Type 9 with a Quaife kit, and even the fantastically positive Mk1 MX-5 gearbox, and that's a huge part of the experience.
Totally agree!! Thanks for watching!
We have 4 manual cars. We have nothing against paddles but we don't drive on a track more then a few times a year and are you really going to notice the difference in fuel economy? The younger generation will love the paddles as they enjoy things we dont. Live and let live.
How much have you driven the Tiptronic?
@@pjay3028 Rented a few triptronics, had a Golf GTI triptronic but just didn't work for me. Did the playstation thing for years and also wasn't my thing. Guess its all down to what you prefer. We have an Elise S2 1zz, integrale Evo 2, Golf Gti, Golf 2 syncro country, all are manual and for us we prefer this. But I think the younger generation will prefer flappy paddles which is fine.
@@anonymous_bot_bot not a 911 tiptronic though?
Anything rewarding in life takes skill & effort…it’s soulless drinking instant coffee, listening to low res music with poor ear buds, eating fast food and driving an automatic sports car…
Finally, a fact that I can be "Proud to be an American" about.
Jack, I was lucky enough to drive a 992 4S with the 8 speed PDK last weekend and I think the speed of the gear changes sold me on it over the manual box. I loved the way you can either leave it in automatic, or take manual control when circumstances dictated (e.g. dropping a gear into a corner) and then allowing the car to revert to auto. I am working out how I can afford to buy one!
I think if the car was my daily I’d take the PDK, however if it’s my weekend toy I’d definitely go for a manual and change the model to a 964 😂. Cracking stuff Jack 👍
The PDK sounds like garbage. It sounds like a shitty continuation. A manual is a true driver's car. And if you don't know how to drive a stick shift. I'm sorry. But a stick shift is way more fun. And they make the car sound better. . Only sissys that don't know how to drive a stick shift will buy an automatic.
Knowing how to drive a gated 6 is a skill. . I hate the sound of A PDK.
Lovely car - great spec and colour.
To me:
City driving and lap times - automatic/paddles.
Everything else - manual.
I have a manual 2024 911 Carrera S and I love it. You buy a car like this to have fun driving and the manual is more fun whether you are driving high speed in the mountains or just going to the grocery store. Yes I wish second gear wasn't so long - if you go through the gears you are going to jail speed by the time you shift into 4th - but the acceleration in 2nd gear is amazing and still really good in 3rd. The manual may not be as fast as the PDK but you don't feel that when you are driving it. My previous car was a 2011 Corvette Grand Sport which I though had great acceleration but this 911 is on a whole different level and the handling is simply amazing.
I can't imagine having a sports car (not a hyper car) with paddles. The whole reason for their existence in my world is fun and shifting is part of the involvement with the car. That said I'd skip the 911 and get a Cayman if I had to have a Porsche.
Really, is fuel economy worth worrying about for Porsche owners? How many miles a year do they drive, what is the difference in fuel consumption, and the consequent difference in expenditure? Not having access to the numbers, my guess is it's a rounding error in the cost.
Im sure it’s not a huge difference… thanks for watching!
I suspect that you are right, as an older bod I am quite content with a manual 997.2.
I reckon it’d cool if Porsche released a modern day narrow track 912, with a 250(ish) horsepower 4 cylinder engine, close ratio manual g/box, short ratio diff, a lightweight trim spec of ~1250kg and 4 seats. That’d be a hoot!
That would be the base Cayman for you. Still not as cheap as 912 was back then.
@@БранимирПетров Yes, It’s close, but because the Cayman uses a mid engine layout, instead of a rear, it doesn’t have 4 seats and isn’t as practical for a daily driver…
@@duckmcf I'd trade 2 children seats for two luggage compartments, thank you.
@@БранимирПетров Sure, I guess I could always put my son in the frunk…
I will definitely put that beauty on my list the next time I have $94,000 to spend on a car. And of course, it will be a manual.
I'll keep my MANual 911, thank you very much.
Thanks Jack - interesting. I bought a 997.2 and initially looked only at manuals but found a PDK I liked and bought it. I fitted a flappy paddle to have some more control on occasions, but I quite like to drive PDK in sports mode. When I am doing some overtaking PDK optimises the acceleration and the engine sounds good screaming at the top of the rev range and I know I couldn't do the same job in manual. I think if I bought a much older Porsche I would want a manual, but for something fairly modern I reckon the PDK is perhaps better for me.
I got stuck in a traffic jam on the tapped zee bridge across the Hudson River in New York in an Alfa gtv-6 with a single plate clutch and I don’t think I have ever recovered. I drove both and I have a pdk, I love it, but it took time for me to appreciate. You can keep talking about the manual if you want, no more third pedals thank you.
The shaved 35kg for the manual vs the pdk mainly in the rear area should re balance for about 2% less in back or more on front axle, a bit closer to a cayman balance. Fuel economy on Swiss slow highway 7.0L/100 km, that is 30% less vs my ex gt4/981.Spirited drive is still a bit better too but that turbo engine is amazing from top done to mid range to high revs if has it all.
Great video Jack. I'm not surprised by the American statistic, where manuals are favoured above automatics. 'Driving stick', is not something the majority of Americans grew up with, therefore knowing how to do so, is seen as a driving skill, which adds to the overall driving experience. In Ireland and the UK, the vast majority of people in their 30s+, grew up learning to drive a manual. It's only in the last 10 years, with the advancement of automatics (more gears, quicker shifting, more reliability) that we see them more commonly available across all car segments, at this stage more common than a manual. The PDK is undoubtedly better, but the manual will always be more prized.
It's whatever you want from the car, & good that we still have a choice!
Thanks Jack!
For me the 7 speeds is on a Fast and Furious level of ridiculous. I take the entry level car and put the money towards options that matter to me. Nice video. Keep up the good work.
I was lucky enough to drive a GT3 PDK on a track. If I could ever afford one I'd take it over a manual.
If you're worried about mpg, don't buy a performance car, if you're worried about being slightly quicker, there is always someone faster.
Edit.. If you want to get into micro seconds then you need find something else in your life.
Ok.. you asked what is probably the dumbest question I think I've heard in a long time.. "is a manual 911 relevant?" LOL!! YES!! The bigger question is... are you?
Couldn't agree more. For all the reasons you have.
I'm a high mileage driver of my daily (Merc E), which is auto and I'm glad it is, but my occasional use 911 HAD to be manual. Way more engaging.
You spoke of the main point of manuals still exist to this day, it’s the man-machine interaction
Nice video. That looks like the same bit of road that Harry uses 😀
I agree Jack, the PDK is 'statistically' better, but manual is more involving and desirable. PDK is an outstanding piece of machinery. However, I chose manual on a Boxster 4.0 GTS, but if I was using it as a daily car, I might be tempted with PDK.
On the autoblip on change down, you can switch it off by going to the individual setting (at 9 o'clock on the dial). You can set it up as per Sport but without autoblip.
I may be old school (driving since 1986), but give me a manual every time.
I haven't driven many autos that I like, and detest the CVT variant.
Personally I prefer the added involvement of a manual gearbox to automatics though the PDK is probably the best paddleshift on the market. Having said that, from reading road test reports the 992 manual box is not a patch on the six speed manual in a GT3.
Pity it does rev matching in sport mode - catching the throttle with the side of my foot while braking to match the revs is a big part of driving enjoyment for me - I do it all the time on the road and is major part of interaction with the car.
Agree!!!
I’m 56 and got my license at 17 in 1982 it was almost compulsory to have a manual drivers license to get any job in my area so everyone back then did, Nowadays I drive automatic V8’s as daily drivers (one by choice one not but it was free from a friend… long story) I have owned a lot of manual hyper cars
so mixed feelings there too, I do miss it at times.
But yourself at least one manual!!
If a modern 911 feels like an old 911 then the manual box is part of the fun isn’t it ?
Just fitted a shirt shifter to mine and it’s better again
I had a F1 360 back in the day when Schumacher was cleaning up in F1 .Soon realised I was just a passenger surrounded by electrotwackery.Went back to a “stick shift “308 and started to have fun again .If it’s your 2nd or 3 rd ( like American cousins ) then it has to be a manual.
That car suites you Jack. Manual all the way in a sports car 👍🏁
Totally agree Jack. I have a manual 718 boxster. I recently test drove a gts4.0 as I was getting a bit giddy over the idea. The demo car was a cayman pdk. It was unbelievably quick, much faster than mine, no turbo lag, and sounds great when revved out, not that you can do that much on uk roads. It did however have a less than pleasant mid range tone from the engine, which no-one mentions in reviews, which you get when pootling through traffic, which initially put me off the model a bit. But the pdk just took away the fun. It was forever changing when I didn't want it to change, and even if I overrode it with the paddles, after 6s it decides its going to select the gear again for you. I guess if I got used to setting it up I could stop it from doing that, but it was actually negative fun. It annoyed me. It was also so fast, that like the 911 you drove, you didn't actually have to do anything much on any road to break limits. I got back in my 718 happy enough that for the time being. Of course I'd have bought the gts4.0 in manual if I'd decided to go for it, but the weird mid range drone, and it being so fast I could hardly ever do anything with it on the road, has currently made me stay put. Even the bit of turbo lag I don't actually mind, it gives you something to think about - how to avoid it and keep it spinning - which can actually contribute to entertainment value. The 4cyl is also slightly lighter I think, which can make it feel more nimble. Try one sometime, its no Elise, but its still good fun and with a few more home comforts.
Very interesting review!
Hey, pleased to see you in a proper car at last 👌😄 Enjoyed that.
Ah, that lovely 911 sound. Still much the same as the 911SC that I had in the 1980's. Tom Cruise was right, in the film 'Risky Business'..... "Porsche.., there is no other".
Ive always been a manual fan, but I am not over it. Having blatted around in a mates Yaris GR the thing I got annoyed with first was the gearbox. Involvement to one side, we all like some heel and toe, most of the time the DCT is just better on all levels. Quicker, safer, smoother etc.
I did, i just bought a 992S with manual and after 3 months i have to say that this is fantastic and I would'nt change with pdk. Bye bye from Italy
Most modern performance cars are so fast the performance numbers don't really matter out on the road, what matter is how enjoyable and engaging is the car to drive.
I agree.
I like my 5 speed fiat spider 2000.
The car makes me feel needed.
Love Porsche and that one is a lovely colour but it just looks porky to me a bit overweight styling wise. When you park an early 911 next to a new model you realise just how massive the design is now.
Think I'd have the PDK.
I am holding out for the auto steering option! Porsche buyers find driving a burden? Very strange times indeed!
Economy really depends on your driving style and how you shift with the manual, you can do more than 40mpg if you drive 60 - 70mph in 7th on the Autobahn or B roads.
I have a dual clutch Golf GTI as my daily driver which is great….but my Porsche is manual. And always will be!
The trick of pdk is you can have adaptive cruise control which you can't have with a manual box. Get an old mini if you want manual.....
Better still get an Austin Healey 3000. Great car from the old days
Manual for me as it makes be a better driver and consistent, I like the involvement.
I agree!! Thanks for watching chap!!
Driver involvement is the key thing
Living in a small city with lots of rural driving would suit the manual but the pdk is surely far easier for crawling up a congested motorway .
I had the 991.2 C2S in PDK.. the reason.. the manual box shift quality was awful.. However despite the fact the 992 uses the same gearbox they have improved the shift quality massively. If I had a 992 now it would be a manual. It suits the Feel and character of the 911.. in the same way a dual clutch box suits my Huracan EVO rwd.
I’m making the MT vs PDK decision for my 992 T. I was 100% going for manual… until I drove a PDK Carrera S. Loved it. I certainly understand the emotional attachment to the MT, but I think a lot of people’s opinions about PDK on a 911 are unfounded. (Not that that matters.)
I love my 991.1 S with PDK but looking for a manual 992 T for all the reasons mentioned.
@@haraldklein2009 I ended up getting the MT. 🤷🏻♂️
My 05 XK8 has a ZF 6sp semi auto and my BMW 328i Xdrive has a 6 sp manual....both are wonderful, equal but certainly different.
If was the local council in that area I’d asked all the RUclipsrs to pay for the upkeep on that road 🙃
My 911T (992) is the right car with the correct transmission for me.
I have a 15 year old MERC CLK , with a decent auto gearbox there is no going back .Always thought i would never own an auto car ,its the first in 35 years .1800 is cheap when compared to 125k for tone paintwork on a Bugatti
great points that you make. I don't understand why auto rev match prevents you doing it... if you get it right it won't interfere??
It's not about incremental & minute performance enhancements, it's about driving involvement.
If you must have an AT....you might as well have an EV.
Those of us in the US that are ACTUALLY car aficionados do prefer manuals. It’s just that the overwhelming % of the sheeple want automatics, and we get left out. But when us Americans get to CHOOSE (usually by ordering straight from the dealer) we will choose manual.
I'm luck enough to have both. The PDK box was a 2k option on mine when I bought it, but I prefer a manual so I spent the savings on other goodies. The PDK box in our other car nannies you too much, always looking to change up, even when you use it in manual mode. Plus you have to factor in an expensive PDK service every second time too.
Oh, and there is pretty much no such thing as a standard Porsche - most buyers option about 10% of the base cost on extras. Porsche did a survey about 5 years ago and in a three year production run, there were only two cars that had exactly the same spec.
I own C4 corvette... with manual. I will newer swap it for automatic. Do I manual fan at all? Not exactly because in company car I prefer to have automatic when driving over 50kkm per year. But classic sport car must be stick shift.
I know the problem of new manual cars. The geering is too high. I've rented a 2020 mini, was great fun but after revving up in 2nd gear I'm already speeding..
I do like it but not sure why they keep getting bigger. Think I'd rather have a manual 997.2 and not sure you even need an S.
I think the manual would make most sense on the base model with 80 less horsepower, where you would be able rev it out a bit more on the road, certainly if buying the car for road use. Otherwise, I think the S is realistically already almost too powerful for the manual on the road. And on track, the PDK is for sure faster and better, and that's also where the wear protection factor comes most into play.
However, if you take a car on track to be able to rev the car out without risk to your licence, rather than to race and achieve the fastest possible lap times, then the manual also makes sense.
For most people, who don't track their cars, and especially for those who use their 911 as a daily, I think the manual makes little sense, certainly as it's not available on the base Carrera/Carrera 4 models, because as noted in this video, even when you get to an open road, the gearing is such that you don't actually need to change gear much, and with the newer turbocharged engines you actually drive the torque rather than the power curve, and anyway, they don't scream as much at the top end.
In city traffic, especially in London traffic, I think you have to be a hardcore purist, even a masochist, to buy a manual S as a daily driver.
These new turbocharged engines are designed to be used in conjunction with the PDK, and that's a fact.
All that said; it is also a fact that longer term, on the used market, the manuals will almost certainly be the most desirable.
Although, it has to be said that PDK (double-clutch) versus manual desirability factor is not the same as the automated manual (single-clutch) vs manual factor that we see play out for other brands like Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, etc.
Even the old Porsche Tiptronic vs manual desirability factor isn't the same. The old Tiptronic models are still popular because people buying entry-level Porsche 996s and 997.1s are generally buying the car as their daily and only car, and most live in cities, so it still makes most sense. It makes sense to compromise the majority of your driving the least, rather than the other way round.
So, I think it's going to come down to how much the fact that the turbocharged (991.2/992 and onward) cars, in particular, are designed to work hand-in-hand with the PDK, and that the manuals only continue to exist because of a vocal minority of hardcore purists, plays out on the used market in the future.
Of course, there may well be other market forces, like so-called green taxes, that could, for instance, make manuals more expensive to tax. Who knows?
The fact that manuals are only 10% of the market will almoost certainly be a factor, but maybe only if they are no longer available new, as per Ferrari and the used Ferrari market. So far, what we see on the used Ferrari market hasn't been anywhere near as dramatic on the used Porsche market, or indeed the market for any other brand than Ferrari. And I note that Jaguar brought back the manual for the F-Type due to apparent demand, and in reality few people bought one, and so the facelifted F-Type has dropped the manual altogether (along with the much loved and also much criticised V6, without even replacing it with JLR's new I6).
For now, I think the status quo will continue, 90% will choose a PDK car and 10% will choose a manual, for whatever personal reasons. And I think it would be a bit of a shame if a day were to come that manuals were twice the price of PDKs, and most of those who really want a manual are priced out of the market, while manuals are bought by collectors, mostly to sit dormant. Surely, that's a day that no manual enthusiast wants, so we should rejoice that people can still buy whichever 'flavour' they want with little to no price penalty.
If my lottery numbers ever come up, my first stop is the Porsche garage!!! I adore the shape… handsome but under stated!!!🥰
The road you're on looks very similar to the one Harry Metcalfe uses. Or do all roads there look alike?
7:03 Do I recognise the same piece of road that Harry M uses in his videos?
Yes.. I love right next to it!
Live even…
Nice one Jack, another great video, the car looks stunning,👍👍.
I’d answered the question before pressing the ‘play’ button…manual for me. Another good video Jack; incidentally, do you ever see Harry Metcalfe coming the other way? 😉
No manual option in Australia, unfortunately.
The thrill of pdk in a 992 on a twisty road is incomparable with the manual. You cannot take the best of these cars with a manual. Manual is for straight roads and slow drives where you need some additional enjoyment.
Those who talk about engagement, go into manual but also reduce the size of wheels and brakes and drive without traction control.
Most of the RUclips influencers do not talk about the cars but about themselves and how cool they are that appreciate manual vs auto.
Enjoy your manuals, i will stick to my awesome pdk and super car that 992 is
I've never driven a pdk or any dual clutch but I detest the sound and feel of an auto especially when just taking of, I've driven diesels and petrols with autos and I quickly try to find something else that interests my and usually fail as the tech doesn't excite me.
The logical argument for people that believe the PDK is better than the manual would be an EV would be better than the PDK. With EV no shifting at all so no loss when autoshifting , but that would sound ridiculous to the PDK loyal.
I have a manual Miata and Lotus which I loved, but I also have a Tesla with a seemingly never-ending power band, which I also love. There is room for both
This is the same logic I use. I have several manual cars - a couple BMWs, an Audi S4 and a 997.2 911 - all 6 speed. I also have a Tesla Model S P90D. I love driving my manuals for the involvement and engagement even when driving slow as most of the time you have to on a commute. But when I read or watch videos about cars like the new M5 CS or Audi RS6, I have no interest - if the car is going to shift for me, I might as well drive my Tesla - its faster and requires no more driver input than a DCT/PDK. And while the Tesla may not handle like an M5 CS on a track, it certainly handles well enough for any curve on most highways or any on-ramp on any commute. Again another reason I prefer manuals to PDK is that most of the time you are not on a track and the manual keeps you involved.
I did an experience day once at Silverstone Porsche centre and the instructor questioned me on my choice of manual to the point of me rolling my eyes and having to tell him I drive an automatic in my everyday car, give me a break....was also gutted I just missed having Richard Attwood drive me and maybe he knew that and was bitter about it 😂
Sale numbers say all, that is what manufacturer looks for. The market is different what tubers says. That is why some are tubers and some work in high places for car firms. Buyers know what they are buying and pdk is superior in every aspect. In Europe majority of cars use manual, which is totally opposite of usa consumers. You buy sport car for performance.
In the modern world there is no real tangible reason period to have a manual. With that said, i am a person who deals with computers all day and automation is my job. It's a pleasure getting out the office jumping in my manual equiped car and taking it through the hills on the way home. So if the choice is one for me to make it's a manual trans on anything with sporty pretensions. I will leave the pdk or auto the the journalists who think they are Schumacher on the track.
The tangible reason for a manual is to save on autobox maintenance and servicing. And probably replacement before too long!
@@stevemawer848 i would normally agree with you. However modern auto boxes are both stronger and cheaper to maintain than a modern manual. Modern manual will cost 600$-3$k for a clutch job, vs about 300$ for a fluid change on an auto of the same vintage and miles.
The more they remove from the driver the duller the car and less connected to the car and in turn the road you are. Probably why I like old cars where your in full control and get tons of feed back. My current car although fun to drive I am disconnected by the fly by wire and electric powers steering.
Jack don’t forget that all 991.1 GT3s were only available as PDK hence the figures. Only the 991.2 GT3 sorted that and offered a manual. So lots of owners may have preferred a manual but they weren’t going to not buy a GT3 because it was PDK. There’s a reason Porsche had a rethink and offered a manual again for the gen2 GT3. 😉
As ever, the newer the car, the faster and more capable it is and PDK makes it quicker again. I guess it depends how fast you “need” to go to have fun or how much pub bragging rights you want for your 0-60 time.
To me anything after mid-noughties doesn’t appeal but we are all different and that’s cool. As long as we can all see something good in someone else’s choice that’s fine. We are all petrolheads after all. 👍🏻
I think my figures were just for .2s… though I’m not 100% sure! Thanks for watching Marky!
I think you can get the GTS in manual also
Not what you would expect? Porsche has stated that if not for demand from American customers they would've dropped the manual option completely Some time ago
Faster, less thirsty and less polluting than a 992 PDK? The Taycan Turbo. Where will it stop?
It makes perfect sense to have a manual. I for one will not buy an automatic until there isn’t a single manual left in the world. I hate automatic vehicles.
Having a 6th gear is for saving gas. Does not the 7th gear do the same?
Mixed feelings here. Unfortunately I haven't been able to drive a high-end PDK equipped car but presumably they have now reached a level of sophistication where a manual box becomes almost a gimmick. Having said that, I miss driving manual cars but perhaps the answer to that is to go the whole hog and buy a car from that era.
For cars at the cheaper end of the market, I think manual still makes sense. I run a DSG equipped VW as there is no manual option available here. Although it works pretty well over 90% of the time, it does occasionally make a wrong prediction and even when I put it into manual mode, it changes down too early for my liking, overriding my manual input if the revs drop below a certain amount. The worst situation is when I negotiate a steep descent in second, it will often suddenly go into first with quite a jerk when I would rather it stay in second and let me lightly use the brakes to keep the speed in check.
There’s no question the PDK is objectively better.. but if it’s a gimmick the manual is still a gimmick that makes a difference! Take care Dave!
Up until 15 years ago manuals were 25% more fuel efficient that auto. That happened for over 70 years
Another great video Jack. Love the Porsche 992S review.
A manual gearbox is a more engaging driving experience, you are in total control of the drive. The driver has to be more aware of what is going on the road and pay more attention. In an auto you do not pay as much attention to the road and what is going on around you because the car will always change down.
And there lies the problem with modern cars. They do the job so well in a clinical way that makes them soulless to drive.
I don't understand the sentiment that the manual is only enjoyable on the weekends or on a track while the automatic is better for daily driving. When you are driving spiritedly at the limit, either a PDK or a manual can be fun - I happen to prefer the manual, though if I was going for lap times maybe the PDK. But the beauty of the manual is that 90% of the time when commuting you are not driving fast and yet the manual is still enjoyable because it gives you something to do! How can you enjoy the PDK in routine traffic? Its boring. But shifting a manual even when driving slow (not talking about bumper to bumper stop and go) on your commute is enjoyable because it is involving - doesn't have to be ripping to red line to be enjoyable. It just makes you engaged in the commute, no matter the speed. And I do agree with Jack that 0-60 time is irrelevant, but the feeling of acceleration is not - and once you are in gear, the feeling of acceleration is the same, the time lost in 0-60 is in the shifts, not in the push in the back.
Auto for regular cars? Absolutely. Auto for fun cars? No. I don't car about the sliver of a second or the fuel economy - I care about the experience. Give me the MANUAL!
There is not a single logical reason for having the manual, well except for repair costs if they go wrong, but I’d still have the manual. There is nothing quite like the satisfaction of nailing perfect gear changes in a proper sports car.
Going back to your roots
A nice objective insight Jack. Porsche was a car I always wanted to own, I had the opportunity 20 years back to buy a 911 air cooled version, even had the wife's (treasurer, minister for finance), approval to purchase if I wanted it. I'd never been in a Porsche let alone driven one. The drive exploded my dream, I was absolutely disappointed, not what I expected at all. Of course they are a great drivers car, but just not for me, maybe I'm not a great enough driver.
You need to try a manual Cayman GTS 4.0
I'll take a manual over an auto for a sporty car any day. I think a case could be also be made for safety if one associates driver involvement with awareness.
Thanks for watching Don!!
I have never been able to afford a modern Porsche, but I have had a VW Golf GTI with the DSG box (I suppose similar to PDK). It was very fast in changing up/down, but it made the whole experience somewhat soulless and sterile. Great in commuting in traffic, but always left me disappointed on a fast country road. So for me, sports car=manual, lazy mile muncher=auto.