2.9 PDK 0-60 in 5.1 secs

FWIW, Car and Driver just published their short road test of a 2009 Cayman 2.9 PDK and got 0-60 in 5.1 secs, without sports chrono , in their test car... They say it is about the same as the gen I (pre-2009) CS manuals. Check out their website.

Road and Track did 4.8 with the 06-08 S. I have the tech panel framed. Sounds like C&D needs some new Ds.

Wow, that is impressive.

For those drivers who don't want manual transmissions, some have been choosing between the 2008 CS tip and 2009 C PDK . The 2.9 PDK is clearly faster by nearly 1/2 sec. in 0-60, not even close.

Yes. I'm giving up on the 2008 tips. PDK is the future.

I never even gave it a second thought. The next Porsche will have PDK . It can shift faster and better then 99% of the drivers on the planet. What makes me think I can do it any better?

I would believe the new 2.9L's greater HP and torque would be the key ingredient here, as it is a pretty big difference over the previous base C. While PDK would help,....simply faster shifting won't get you this type of performance increase. I believe the new direct inject engines are even more underrated compared to the Gen I cars. When I test drove various combos of trannys and engines about a month ago, the engine performance clearly stood out as the biggest difference all. Most mag results have the Gen I CS at 4.8 sec to sixty, with 1/4 miles times around the 13.3 / .4 range. Yep, PDK has it hands down over the TIP. Once again though, I'd love to see a manual vs. PDK test of all models.

Atlas_Croc -- your hypothesis is flawed in this case. The interesting thing is that the 2.9 gen II engine is NOT direct fuel injection. It's still port injection--the only one from this new engine block that does not have DFI.

I do stand corrected on the 2.9 engine. My contention is still the same though,....the performance of the Gen II base C is much stronger due mostly to the engine. An upgrade in all areas HP, torque and displacement is the key. How much performance the PDK offered cannot be decided upon as it was not tested along side a manual, and that would be necessary in order to draw any conclusions.

I find it interesting that just a few short months ago, before PDK came out, the main argument for not getting an automatic was the lack of "driver involvement". Now with PDK , no one talks about that anymore and seems like the majority of new Porsche buyers are going with PDK . My theory is that manual drivers have all secretly envied the convenience of auto but shun from it really to avoid riducules from friends and relatives. But now with PDK , the "driver involvement" argument is never mentioned again and finally drivers can counter their mocking friends/relatives with "BUT my PDK is FASTER than manual!". Just a theory. My next Porsche will definitely be a PDK .

I have a gtech meter and tested the 09 3.2 PDK and got a 4.22 0-60

Tiptronics was not even a consideration. PDK is now an acceptable transmition. Every year that pases, as I get older, it looks more attractive. In about 4 or 5 years when I consider another car, it will sure be in contention.

I agree completely with the above. I have always been told that if you want a sports coupe with auto. transmission, definitely go Mercedes (SL and SLK) and not Porsche because their auto trans. is no good--and people would laugh at you...

Driving a loaner Boxter from the dealer with PDK . Kinda cool how you can blip it and it downshifts, and shift with the steering wheel control and so on. But!,, I'll stick with the stick Much more fun and control even if it's a tick slower.

My first porsche was a tip 2000 Boxster S . It was my first performance car and was a DD so it was still impressive to drive and a lot of fun. When i took it to the track some of the smile disappeared particularly when i drove a friends manual S, the difference on the track was considerable. I vowed never again to get a tip or auto for a performance car, thus my 6M Cayman S . Now that the PDK has come out and I read all your great reviews, I will certainly drive a PDK model before my next purchase. A self shifter with better performance than a manual is hard to ignore, or at least have a look at.

That's a mighty fast time for a 2.9L engine and 3100 LB weight. Is the gearing lower and more closely spaced with the PDK ? Anyone know the top speed of the car in each of the first three gears? If the speeds are 30, 50, and 75 MPH, I could believe the huge improvement.

What's the 6-speed manual run on the Cayman , any tests on that yet?

One tenth of a second slower than the PDK . PDK with sport button was three tenths quicker than the 6 speed. source wikipedia

Its slower but I like the manual, there is just pleasure in the shift mechanism. the coordination, the control. I always believed it, but only an audi tiptronic cemented this for me. When I moved into my Porche it was like finding a long lost love. I have driven the dual clutches on several makes. They are fun, they are fast, when you don't wanna shift you don't have to (like when you have a cup full of coffee, or bumper to bumper traffic). All great reasons to have an automatic transmission. But it just is not a manual and it doesn't create the same connection between your brain, your body and the mechanics. To each his own, but for me give me the third pedal. Manuals FTW!

It will be a cold day in hell before I EVER get an auto. Tiptronic was bad but PDK is great? LOL. A slushbox is a slushbox, no matter how fast it shifts. Do you want to be driven around by a computer? I HATE PDK .

Any modders will want to consider, space availability. Will a turbo or supercharger fit with the PDK ? I read a post here that said there was a problem with fitting plumbing on the new CS w/ PDK . If mods are something you are considering this may be the deciding factor between the manual or PDK .

Gotta agree with P-Nut here. I've got a 2008 911S 6-speed. I've driven the PDK both with and without SC, and I can tell you I prefer to row through the gears myself. I'm not talking performance here - just a connection with the vehicle. I like manuals.

My left leg would have to be amputated due to lack of circulation if I were to drive a PDK .

Not sure how this turned into a pdk vs manual debate but I'd like to jump in. Obviously the pdk is faster. The question is how many of us are driving the cayman at 10/10ths? If you drive at the limit on a regular basis and all out performance is key than the pdk would seem to be the choice. On the other hand, if some occasional bursts of speed is more your style than I think the manual would be more satisfying. For me, revving the engine a bit here and there at stop lights is more important than .2 secs to 60.

I agree with you guys about have a manual transmission. Much more of pleasurable to drive! The base Cayman runs a 13.7 with PDK , so I'm assuming it runs around 13.8-13.9 with the 6-speed?

Probably in that neighborhood. Just remember than PDK with launch control gives a quick acceleration, but Walter Rohrl said the in latest Panorama that PDK and 6spd Manual Cayman have INDENTICAL laptimes around the Nurburgring (which is the track that most closely mimics public roads of all sorts).

Still pretty quick. Does it have a wide power band? Seems like for the weight of the car it should run a slower time then what It does..

If i miss a shift or shift too slow.That is exactly what it is, something that i messed up.Not some mindless computer aided auto that requires no talent whatsoever too operate.It is unfortunate that because of launch control etc etc etc that the PDK has the potential too be faster.It gives an unfounded argument to those to lazy to shift.That they are the faster car and therefore the better car and driver....Given that rational as some have eluded too i cannot wait till "they" come out with the totally automatic vehicle where i will be required to do absolutely nothing but pay for it,but hey i will set up an auto pay account,you know because i get cramps in my hand when writing a check:beer::beer::beer:

I love shifting just as much as the next guy and heel toe just about every down change. Here's the thing: PDK , is just like ABS, power steering, PSM, PASM , PCCB , PVT, LSD and i'm sure a hole heap of other acronyms; they were developed in motor sport and filter there way down into firstly performance vehicles, then everyday cars. You could argue that all of them dilute the true driving experience, that a computer or technology is doing all the work. For us mere mortals there is no way we could drive our porsches on the road or track the way we do without some of them. They enhance the day to day driveability of our cars and probably save our necks and wallets more than we know. Just look at the difference between a mark 1 GT3 and a gen 2 997 GT3 in terms of driveability and safety. PDK is the same, ultimately it is safer, easier to use and allows the average driver to extract more from the car, at higher levels. I dont want to see manuals go, love driving them, but as the technology increases, the demand for them will become less and less. The lastest Ferrari, the 458 Italia, has no manual option at all.

Ok back to the topic, congrats! 5.1 secs in a 2.9 brilliant.

Those that berate mindless computers in there cars, such in the PDK , should be such purists to ask for the computers to be removed from the rest of the car (suspension, braking, engine, AC, etc.). But wait, you can get all that from just buying a 30 year old car (and technology). I'm sure you'll enjoy "rowing the gears" on your window crank as well. :hilarious:

I would venture to say all the other acronyms abs, pasm , psm are mostly safety driven, where the PDK as filter down to make the transmission for those who don't want to/or know how to shift a manual get more performance. I am not sure I would really compare most of those with PDK , In a sense I get ABS does have some perfomance aspects as well as the others but I think the intent in a production car is different. I don't think there is more safety in a 987 S with PDK verses one without. Possibly more safety in terms of damaging your engine? I don't look down on those with the PDK , if you need to drive and drink your mocha at the same time, while tuning the radio, than thats what you need . If grow tired of 1st to 2nd to 1st etc in tight traffic everyday but still want to rip through the gears on occasion than its a great solution. For me it takes much of the sports car experience away. There is just that great feeling of shifting it down before the corner, and up after exit that is mind, body, and mechanics all working in harmony. to each his own. there is no denying that its becoming quite the techno marvel. Just not one I want in my porsche .

...there's always Sports Plus mode for the dis-believers :soapbox: :dance: