It’s grim out there if you prefer a car with a manual transmission. Options have been dwindling for years, but demand for the gearbox remains. So much so that customers clamored for a manual in the Carrera S, and Porsche listened.
In an interview with Motor1, Timo Resch the president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, told us the company is seeing rising demand from online fans, direct customers, and dealers. This kickstarted conversations with engineers and executives, and the team began building a case for the car. He told us:
‘We have customer demand for it. And the customer demand that we anticipated and actually saw in existing models in the United States made it kind of a good business decision to offer this model.’
The demand for the manual transmission in the 911 GT3 helped pave the way for the Carrera S MT Package, according to Resh. He said:
‘So, on the GT3, as a touring model, we have 80 percent of the customers picking the manual transmission as a choice. It's kind of all these indicators gave us reason to believe, hey, this is something that customers are really looking for.’
The Manual Moment
Porsche isn’t the only automaker embracing the manual transmission at Monterey Car Week. McLaren launched the McL 6GT, a concept inspired by Bruce McLaren’s original M6GT, the founder’s unfinished road-car project.
Unlike the Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale, the 6GT has a true manual gearbox and hydraulic steering, designed to provide a mechanically analog driving experience. It’s just a concept, but the McLaren has plans for a production version.
Arriving after the McLaren is Hennessey’s manual-equipped supercar, the Blackbird. It is not as potent as the Venom, but it will feature a naturally aspirated V8 engine making 800 to 850 horsepower. Hennessey is targeting a curb weight of less than 3,000 pounds and a zero-to-60-mph time of 2.5 seconds.
Motor1’s Take: If there is any evidence that money talks, it’s Porsche’s confirmation that GT3 buyers selecting the manual helped result in the manual for the Carrera S. Enthusiasts can make demands all they want, but they have to put action behind those words before automakers will listen, and that means spending money.
