After a morning blast on desert mountain roads in the Valencia back country, the (slight) reservations I had on the 991 Carrera S PDK have evaporated on scorched rubber and heated disc brakes. I already knew the handling knew that the handling is brilliant, it truly shone on these twisty and narrow mountainous roads. The engine on this 7000km car was a lot more lively, pulling hard from 3000rpm all the way to the 7600rpm redline, with that eager bite in the throttle response that only great naturally aspirated engines procure. PDK brilliant, a bit sluggish when cold, taking its time to shift until the oil got warm. Responsive, predictable, playful. A not so small detail on the box: in Sport Plus mode, some say it will upshift at redline, some say it won't. Both are right, or wrong. Reality is that it depends on the throttle position. If you mash it down to the kickdown switch, it will upshift. If you stop your foot against the switch, it will bump against the limiter.

So PDK or 7spd manual ? Still don't know. Porsche is so focused on the PDK, so it's down to customers or dealers to let you sample one. Michael Schaetzle still has a soft spot for the manual, but is quick to point out that a manual does not work the electronic diff as well as the PDK, and it shows in slippery conditions where a manual can't keep up. Schaetzle told me he prefers the manual, but the PDK works the diff better and is not possible to follow in slippery conditions, let alone snow, with a manual.

PDCC or not ? Don't know either. Only a couple of cars were not equipped, and not labelled as such either, so it's hard to hold a comparison. In doubt, I'd tick the box.

So after a second day behind the wheel, I am even more convinced than before. I used the terrm 'comical' and it made some cringe. How about brutal ? And yes, I have a 997 too ...

I have nice pics, insights and videos, more to come ...

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997 GT3 - 550M - 355 GTS F1 - Prius - Audi S5 Sportback