And that's true in manual or automatic guise. Personally, I'll take mine in a 6-speed manual, but my preference, which
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| The Tiptronic S will gear down automatically as the car brakes, setting up the optimal ratio for exiting a corner. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
incidentally is shared by most enthusiasts, shouldn't mean there's something particularly wrong with choosing the $4,790 automatic. The Tiptronic S is a pretty sophisticated piece of hardware too, that if left in Drive will gear down automatically as the car brakes, setting up the optimal ratio for exiting a corner. The transmission also gears down when flicking the throttle, and due to steering wheel mounted buttons it's quite engaging. Just the same, if you want to shift up and down through the gears via the console mounted lever Porsche doesn't let you, and the buttons on the steering wheel are difficult for my smallish thumbs to reach without loosening my grip on the leather wrapped wheel - I'd rather Porsche replaced the button with paddles behind the steering wheel. The shift intervals are also too slow for a sports car. If there was ever a car that needed a sequential clutchless manual, the 911 is it. Whether it would be offered as the sole automatic or as well as the Tiptronic, like BMW does with its SMG, would be up to Porsche, but my guess is they wouldn't sell too many Tips if a clutchless manual was available. With this in mind, Volkswagen/Audi, a longtime components partner with Porsche, has developed what is arguably the
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| Don't laugh at the two tiny jump seats in back, amazingly a full size child safety seat fits in perfectly and locks into place. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
best version of this relatively new technology for its TT, and if capable of handling the 3.6-liter's substantial torque would be ideal for the 911. I can only hope such plans are afoot, as the current automatic setup is a little too domesticated when compared to the 6-speed car. Plans to improve the 911 that are now common knowledge include upgrading its overall styling. I've never been as much of a fan of the current 996 as I was and still am enamored with the previous 993 that ended production in 1998. The new car is a much better dynamically, larger inside and offers more features, but the Boxster-like headlamps and less curvaceous flanks aren't as classically shaped as the last iteration. The new model will bring Porsche back a little closer to its roots, with oval headlamps and more Coke-bottle-like hips.
