Porsche listened to its most
puritanical of fans when it revealed the new 911 GT3 with an available
manual transmission.
According to Car and Driver, the traditional
stick-shift will be a no-cost option. So whether you want your GT3 with the
six-speed gearbox or the quicker-shifting seven-speed
dual-clutch transmission, it'll cost you US$ 143,600, plus another US$ 1,050 for
delivery.
That is, assuming you can get your hands on one,
because Porsche's GT models tend to emerge in high demand. That's also assuming
you don't ratchet up the MSRP with what's sure to be an extensive array of
options. A stick-shift usually costs less than a DCT – and still does
even on other versions of the 911 – but Porsche isn't offering a discount for
those who forgo the dual automated clutches for a single manually operated one
on the new GT3.
Porsche GT chief Andreas Preuninger told C/D that he
expects an approximate 60/40 split on the GT3 between those opting for the DCT
versus the six-speed. But in the United States, it's expected to be roughly
50/50. Either way, you're looking at a sports car that borders on the super,
with a 4.0-liter flat-six, naturally aspirated to produce 500 horsepower and
338 lb-ft of torque.
Though the stick-shift version weighs 37 pounds less
than the DCT, the slower shift action of the six-speed means that the manual
GT3 takes 3.8 seconds to hit 60 instead of 3.2 for the dual-clutch version.
That's a hefty penalty, though the manual yields an incrementally (and for most
entirely theoretical) top speed of 198 miles per hour instead of “only” 197.
