Test drove 997.2 PDK + 6 speed today
The weather was very bad. Lots of rain, so much that I could not even try LC, nor could I fully accelerate without PCM kicking in . On the highway I could not drive more then 100 km/h, it was so bad.
I had the PDK car for one hour and immediately behind I drove the manual for about 30 min.
The engine does feel stronger, specially with the PDK.
The sound is very discrete !!!! The exhaust note is very low. I am used to PSE. The noise of the rain and water did not help.
The PASM in sports mode does now feel softer ( very slightly) them my -20 mm 997.1
The clutch on the manual in now softer then it was on the 997.1
The mirrors are huge, when you are inside and you look into them I did not mind them when looking at them from the outside.
PDK: Very mixed feelings about it. My favorite mode was sports mode plus in manual So you know my likes in driving pleasure.
Normal mode is a joke for a sports car. It is only nice in town under heavy traffic as it is extremely smooth. Actually in normal mode when you push the throttle gently you can barely feel any change of gear. the only way you realise it did is by looking at the indicator on the dash board. It feels like a variomatic In this order the gear box is amazing.
In sports mode or sports mode plus it is more suited to the car, extremely fast , precise, the engine can give all that it has and I felt that the engine works perfectly with the PDK in order to have maximum performance. The car really pulls very hard, or feels that way anyway. But I could do without the ' kick' in the rear axle as I feel it does not bring anything.
Generally the box is amazing and I am sure it is the future.
It does take away driver's involvement, but maybe that is the price to pay to 'evolve' to something new and different.
There is one major problem for me: The steering wheel !!!!!!!! It takes away some of the '' light and in connection with every stone of the road'' the C2 normally has !
I have read that in the driver's republic report ..and I think I know now what's about. The steering wheel is very fat were you have your hands , much too fat , and it feels much heavier then the normal steering wheel ( this one had multifunction) ... and all this takes away from the driving feel. It feels almost like my C4S in the steering wheel.
I am sure tuners will very quickly offer alternative steering wheel.... or one will be able to fit the future GT3 PDK steering wheel ( with real paddles )on the Carrera , something I would do !!!!
I tried the car with no prejudice against the puddles. I did get quite a few times confused but I would have in any given system, as I had very few experiences with paddle cars.
So I have mixed feelings about PDK. I nearly wanted to cancel my PDK order and change it to manual... but I think it will keep it and see. There is something exiting about it and something frustrating !!!!!