Porsche confirms ‘emotional’ manual option for next-gen 911

Porsche has finally allayed purists’ fears by confirming its 911 range will continue to come with a manual option until at least 2025.

Porsche 911 product director August Achleitner told Wheels the company only recently decided to commit to a manual transmission for the next generation of the legendary sports car due in 2018.

“It’s not so long ago when we decided it, but this is a decision which, let me say, is valid up to at least 2025. So you can be happy for the manual!”

Achleitner says he fought hard to keep the manual gearbox despite only around 10 percent of 911 buyers choosing it over the Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) automatic transmission.

This compares to 30 to 35 percent of Porsche 718 buyers who, according to Achleitner, usually have lower budgets and choose the manual as a cheaper option.

“The reasons why they buy a manual in the 911 is coming more from emotion,” he adds, explaining the decision to stick with the manual.

He admits that lobbying by North American Porsche enthusiasts helped save the manual, their cause bolstered by the fact that the US is the biggest market for Porsche sports cars.

“Yes. I had to fight for it, for the manual, but I get a lot of support, especially from the States.”

“For these guys it’s the best combination for a sports car which they have, and it’s in North America where you have the greatest amount of (911) manuals compared to the PDK [transmission].”