MKW:
Grant:
MKW:
nberry:
....within a couple of years, the complaints about lack of MT will shrivel to a whisper
Which is what happened in the Ferrari 458 forums , after a couple yrs on the market without MT available . It became an ancient topic and internet car nuts who by and large have automotive OCD/ADHD, moved on to other things to discuss.
There were also some Ferrari customers who moved on, away from any new Ferrari offerings (to other marques or classic Ferraris).
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73 Carrera RS 2.7 Carbon Fiber replica (1,890 lbs), 06 EVO9 with track mods. Former: 73 911S, Two 951S's, 996 C2, 993 C2, 98 Ferrari 550
I disagree...the Ferrari buyers, at least in the US, who want to be the first with the most desired new models and at MSRP cannot stray or they have to start all over with the " worthy vs non worthy " initiation BS with their local dealership ...like having to buy an FF and suffering immediate 150 k depreciation hit , lol.
My point is, whithin 5-10 years of Porsche phasing out all manual transmissions, and with a new generation of drivers , many not yet old enough right now to even drive, who will only know clutches as something ancient used by their grey haired dads and uncles, this MT phase out discussion will be long forgotten.
I tend to disagree. Here's why: the "new" has a tendency to recycle something from the past. Once all cars are equipped with automatic transmissions, and yes, in the eyes of the most governmental organizations, PSK is viewed as an automatic, the uniqueness of sports cars is greatly diminished. In fact, look that a well sorted robotised dual clutch manual box needs no driver input beyond setting it into drive. The shift points are better optimised by the electronics than by the driver using paddles for gear selection. There is nothing more to differentiate a sports car from the mere fast saloon, for reference, look to the recent comparison tests between the Audi RS6 estate and the Nissan GT-R.
When product differentiation is blurred, the younger consumers will look for greater distinction. Plus, many purchasers of sports cars believe, real or imagined, that they possess greater driving skills than average. Hence, the reason why a number of Subaru BRZs have left roundabouts backwards, following failed attempts at "drifting." One way to offer that desired product differentiation is through manual transmissions.
Why should Porsche invest millions as a short term investment as long as they do not know what is going to happen with regulations ?
Also the journalists were informed that these were test mules, no hiding here.
