When talking GT3, is manual transmission the holy grail?

I am on the GT3 list it seems. It all started when I had thoughts of getting on the next GT4 list and somehow it went up (down) from there. In any case, there is talk that the manual tranny from the 911R will be available in the next GT3, possibly even with the 4.0. I know the 911R was limited numbers but is that all that is making it so desirable? If the next GT3 has a manual will that shoot it up the ranks of desirable Porsches? I have a PDK in the Boxster but am starting to wonder about which way I will go when the time comes. Just wondering if a manual is in fact an option, is it a no brainer knowing that combination would be in high demand?

This is just my opinion. When it comes to the regular production GT3 which is built in significant numbers forget about desirability, collectability, appreciation and get what you enjoy driving the most. These cars will very likely depreciate. less so than regular production 911s but still depreciate. Unless you bubble wrap it maybe. A few special very limited models likely go up -the 996 RS, 997.2 GT3RS 4.0 for example. At the risk of going down the pdk vs manual rabbit hole I will say that at first I was skeptical about the PDK only for the 991 GT3 but I think it suits the car and the engine. Again just opinion from my time with the GT3.

I asked for opinions so they are all welcome! Lots of (internet) excitement about the possibility of manual again, didn't know how that could affect things and I know no one can predict the future. And this was not meant to be a PDK vs manual in the traditional sense but would a manual in a car that is mostly PDK tip the desirability scales any at all?

For such a raucous high revving motor I would go with the PDK. No questions asked.

Figured I'd tread lightly since the trans matter is potentially so contentious. I think there is some pent up MT demand for the next GT3, but not sure how much. I'm sure PAG has been weighing that. The other big unknowns in my mind are the engine displacement and redline. There have been some valve train wear issues and perhaps high revving contributes so maybe that is lowered. Do they go to 4.0l and if so what then for the RS? Time will tell. PDK-S is pretty special. It has a bit of an edge- doesn't creep at idle, can be a little jerky at low speeds and makes a racket. Coming out of T11 at COTA down the big straight the engine just rips building revs very quickly, the shifts are like a bang with virtually no loss of drive. I love MTs but the 3.8 and PDK-S is quite an experience.

I've been driving Porsches with manual transmissions since the 70's. Then I got a Cayman with PDK and then I went back to a Cayman with a manual transmission. Frankly, I miss PDK. I think PDK gets more out of the car. That said, you can't go wrong with either one.

In my view, a next-gen GT3 with a manual gearbox would be a more challenging and rewarding car to drive than the same vehicle with PDK. The PDK-equipped GT3 would almost certainly be quicker on the track, but that would be of no consequence to me (not because I wouldn't track it, but because unless you're in a race for money it just doesn't matter). I'd go for the manual gearbox without question.

Ooooh, I hadn't thought about PDK-S. Make no mistake I love the PDK, and I drove nothing but manuals into my 30s. Just wondered if a manual would be more desirable to any extent over the PDK since it wasn't available in the 991 previously. I'm sure I would love driving it either way. But what you are describing sounds amazing.

Both transmissions have compelling advantages over the other in a GT3 but if jail is your end game PDK is a no brainer. :hilarious:

I've been told that the Next GT3 will have the manual transmission carried over from the 991R. Will certainly be interesting to see what the take up is between each option.

If your GT3 will sit mostly in your garage and be a bragging card, then a manual is for you. If you use your GT3 in the manner in which it is meant to be and that's on the Track, it's a no brainer as to which transmission is better. I's strange to me how this facination for the MT has grown up over the years. I really think it's perpetuated by resellers who have MT cars to move and profit by. As a looong time MT driver, I have no use for a MT having two Porsche's with PDK.-Richard BTW from a simple safety perspective, it's not too smart to remove your hand from the steering wheel at high speeds if you have an alternative!

Not sure I understand your comment about PDK being required if track use is high on an owner's agenda. As someone who raced in SCCA events for nearly ten years and DE events for the last twenty years, I certainly understand that PDK is required for racing. For DE events I believe that a MT would be the right choice for those who enjoy that transmission. Moreover, there is a huge difference in driving skills even in Group IV at DE events. Over the years I have seen many 997S drivers with MTs effortlessly pass 997S drivers with PDK. Bottom line, I believe that most of us attend DE events to legally push our cars to their limits in a safe environment. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I don't go to DE events to race, especially with strangers who may have limited experience in high speed driving.

Well now we are getting back into which transmission is better for which purpose, which was not really the point. There have been a lot of articles such as this https://www.pca.org/news/2016-09-27/video-motor-trend-drives-porsche-911r-makes-us-yearn-manual-gt3 and numerous internet comments on manual in these cars. I didn't know if that actually translated into a real desirability or not. I guess if it turns out to be the last of the manual transmission and NA GT3s, that's one thing. But I know its a guessing game and no way to predict. I would be getting it to drive, but I'm flexible, would enjoy it either way. I'm probably making it out to be a bigger deal than what it is. But it's fun to discuss while waiting!

A next-gen GT3 with manual is going to be nearly as sought after as a 911R...and certainly more rare than a run-of-the-mill PDK-equipped car that anyone can put on a track and drive relatively quickly. A manual GT3 will be more of a beast, and require a higher level of skill to extract its maximum performance capabilities. It will appeal to a certain personality type, who accepts that the PDK is quicker and doesn't care.

When I think of the GT3, I think of pure driving pleasure, GT3 to me has to be a manual transmission. Unless you are racing and every millisecond counts, I wouldn't consider PDK. There is a reason why the 996 and 997 GT3 shot up in value when the 991 came with PDK only.

I always love the references to the MT requiring "a higher level of skill" and "pure driving pleasure"! Of course theres the "run-of-the-mill PDK" retort also. I would respond by saying you have 'drunk the kool-aid"! I was number 1 in-line for a 981 Spyder, no PDK, no order. Same with the GT4 for Track. Now happy with 981B and 991.2 C4S, both with PDK.-Richard

Depends what you want out of a GT3. If it's intended to be a track vehicle, PDK is going to result in faster shifts and the decision is easy. If it's intended to be a street car, depends on what you want on the street. PDK is easier to drive, but less engaging. If you're looking to really enjoy the driving experience and connection with the car, manual is the only way to go IMO.

Very few drivers are capable of executing perfect heel-and-toe downshifts while threshold braking, corner after corner, lap after lap after lap. A PDK does it for you. Add trail-braking into the equation, and the skill level required in a manual gearbox car is beyond what most people who haven't raced door-to-door in a competitive series (as opposed to DEs) can muster. Again, with a PDK, a driver with far less skill could learn to do it in a few laps...maybe not do it well, but passably. The "run-of-the-mill" comment is about numbers: all current 991 GT3s have been PDK, and I expect a high percentage of next-gen GT3s will be spec'd with PDK as well...making manual-gearbox GT3s a more rare beast. PDK-equipped GT3s will always be fast, and always special...to some, the slightly slower and more difficult to drive (quickly and smoothly) non-PDK cars will be just a smidge more special.