When the all-new 911 broke cover right before the 64th Frankfurt Motor Show, it was hailed as an important step in the evolution of Porsche’s rear-engined sports car.
The 991 combines the signature 911 shape updated for the 21st century with a longer wheelbase and a wider front track for extra stability while it’s also more powerful yet more frugal.
What’s not to like about the 991, then – apart, of course, from the little detail that it’s out of reach for many of us? Well, the electromechanical steering that replaced the hydraulic unit in the name of reducing fuel consumption, was received with mixed feelings.
Road tests confirmed that, while it gave the driver more confidence in the entry of corners, the legendary feel was a tad dampened. Not enough to spoil the fun, but noticeable, nevertheless.
The same electromechanical steering will be standard on all upcoming versions of the 911. Yet Porsche purists may be in for another surprise: according to an Inside Line report, the engineers at Stuttgart are seriously considering to offer the hardcore GT3 version only with the dual-clutch PDK transmission.
Project leader August Achleitner revealed that Porsche Motorsport is currently evaluating both manual and dual-clutch transmissions for the GT3 – presumably beefed-up versions of the seven-speed units available in the Carrera and Carrera S.
However, Achleitner noted that the production model, which is due next year, will only be available with one of them. Moreover, he added that the PDK is most likely to get the green light; so heel-and-toe antics will be a thing of the past.
As expected, Achleitner said that the decision would be customer, as well as performance, oriented: “When we launched the 911 Turbo S we did not offer a manual, but we have not had a single complaint.”
He also defended both the electromechanical steering, which he claimed, “removes the feedback you don’t need”, and the PDK transmission, since it accounts for 70 percent of sales.
Certainly, the 911 project chief is much better qualified in making such decisions. On the other hand, when the PDK was introduced in the revamped 997 in 2008, almost all motoring journalists praised its operation but objected to its retaining the confusing, steering wheel-mounted shift buttons from the old Tiptronic auto.
At the time, Porsche responded in much the same way: that its customers were used to them and it had received no complaints.
Said journalists were vindicated when Zuffenhausen made traditional paddle-shifts, with the right one used for upshifting and the left for downshifting, an option…
You can watch the official video presentation of the 997 GT3 right after the jump.
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