Quote:
Frank Tan said:
I don't disagree that the 997TT is a very capable sports car. My "rant" was more towards Porsche's focus on their tiptronic transmission for the 997TT and the lack of "sunroof delete" option in the US for the GT3/RS.
I am glad you ordered a manual 6-speed 997TT without sunroof, because that would have been my preference if i were to get a 997TT. But does it not irk you that Porsche has been pushing their tiptronic onto their customers, even though most know that their tiptronic is ancient technology? My point is simple. The 997TT buyers who opt for tiptronic will be in a world of hurt and regret when the new DSG/Dual clutch trans comes out, because that is the trans that should have been promoted by porsche in the first place to compete with Ferrari's F1 shifter. For those thinking about a tiptronic, i implore you to sample Ferrari's F1 shifter, or even BMW M5's SMG, or the Audi's DSG. We are not talking about incremental improvement here, they are light years ahead of porsche's tiptronic. I mean Ferrari is racing with their F1 trans, but porsche is racing with their sequential trans in the cup cars, while selling their customers tiptronics! Get the drift and irony? What ever happened to race on sunday, sell on monday?
With how porsche supposedly "designed" the 997TT around the tiptronic trans, coupled with mandatory sunroofs for US based GT3s, I just can't see myself picking up any of them. Don't misunderstand me, i love porsches, but if i were to get one, it probably be a 996/997 GT3 cup car, maybe with sequential trans.
F
Now I get what you wanted to say and I have to agree.
The tiptronic is a solution that is good for a saloon but shouldn't be used in a proper sportscar when better alternatives are available. But I think this is the key point.
Porsche is working on the DSG/PDK system and we know it is coming. We also know that they are behind their own schedule of introducing the new gearbox.
So they can do one of two things , either offer tip or nothing at all. I believe it is the best business decision to offer tip even though it is ancient technology for a sportscar.
Most people who buy the tip do this with the knowledge that a PDK will be available in the near future and still they buy the car. Some Turbo customers simply do not want to use a stick. So all these sales (and they are many) would have been lost for the Turbo.
Now, the marketing people (expecting a PDK) will have had to promote the tip as best as they could and 'sell' the tip as the best there is. They really had no choice than to tell everybody of the 'networking technology' and whatever (every modern high end manufacturer networks his automatic) because we and dealers alike where expecting PDK.
I remember my dealer telling me very proud some months before the Turbo was launched that PDK would be introduced with it and that he had been at the factory and had seen a test car with what he expected to be PDK.
I do think however that it won't be such a big deal for a happy turbo tip owner that he is driving ancient tech. once the PDK becomes available .
I had this happen to me a few years ago. I just bought a 645CI , few months later the 650I comes out bumping HP and torque and so much more. Frankly , I did not care.
My BMW is still as nice as it was before. Yes there is something better but I can still be content with what I have now. Think it will be similar for a turbo tip owner.
I was also one of the customers waiting for the PDK turbo. But I test drove the manual and after that ordered it. The clutch is so light , the shifting so thrilling that I am ok with it.
The sunroof in the US is a real pain. But isn't this because of US homologation requirements ? I know we in Europe can order our cars without the sunroof.
So not really something we can blame on Porsche ? Just wondering ?
