The reality is the move to the PDK is a natural one especially when fuel economy and performance are factored in. The shifts of the PDK simply can not be beat by a human being with a manual. Not to mention the PDK dual clutch gearbox is simply more popular. If customers continue to opt for it, the manual will naturally be phased out.
Porsche R&D vice president Bunno Brandlhuber stated as much, “As far as I know the take-up rates of the PDK in the 911 is up to 80 percent and in the Boxster and Cayman it is around 60-70 percent. And it is increasing. Maybe someday the question will come whether we need a manual gearbox anymore. That question may be answered in two years or five years time, but the customer will dictate this for us. There are some Porsche enthusiasts who prefer [a manual gearbox] and we will continue to offer this in the meantime. But we are constantly looking at the customer behaviour and maybe the time will come when the manual transmission is an old style. Maybe one day it will become irrelevant.”
He also confirmed PDK for the 991 GT3 and did not mention if a manual would be an option. A shame to see even the company that debuted the 7-speed manual gearbox admitting that things are trending, at least for them, toward the death of the manual transmission.
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