When Porsche introduced the new 911 GT3 earlier this month, the availability of a manual gearbox was one of the most enjoyable options. This has not only pleased the purists, but it proves that there is a real cause for it.
The manual gearbox option, which was re-introduced to the GT3 series in 2017, immediately received praise. And of course it would. Motorcyclists like hand transmissions. According to Porsche’s head of motorsport, Frank-Steffen Walliser, the public’s love for manuals surprised him.
“We lost several bottles of wine by betting on the fare when we reinstated the manual,” Walliser told Autocar. “We were amazed at how high it was.”
The exit rate on the outgoing GT3 was indeed strong. Worldwide, 30% of buyers have opted to mark the craft. This is higher than the 20-25% of buyers who go to the manual in the rest of the 911 series. Andreas Preuninger, head of Porsche’s GT division, expects the new model to rise to 40%.
Also read: 2022 Porsche 911 GT3: Revs up to 9k, lap’s ring within 7 minutes, and still has license plates
One market that has done more than just its share of the increase in world total is America. According to a Porsche spokesperson, 70% of Americans, according to Bloomberg, preferred to buy the manual of the 911 GT3. It’s as if they knew about the bet and Welsh tried to lose.
However, the head of motorsport can be forgiven for betting against the manual. H-pattern transmissions don’t really appear in racing these days, and in the new GT3, the six-speed makes it a full half-second to 60 slower than the PDK.
On the other hand, 0-60 times does not matter as much as how a car makes you feel. For a large portion of the clients, the manual seems to offer a sense of commitment and engagement that they are not willing to lose.
Regardless of the transmission, it’s not as if the GT3 is having trouble moving on. Even with the manual, it becomes 60 km / h within 3.7 seconds (3.2 with PDK). This is due to a natural aspiration of 4.0 liters with a six that can rise to 9,000 rpm and deliver 502 hp and a torque of 346 lb.
It can also set a time of less than seven minutes on the Nurburgring, which these days is the sign of a serious supercar.
Americans interested in buying another manual GT3 can do so this fall.
