When Porsche started favoring its dual clutch PDK gearbox over traditional manual transmissions in its high-performance RS models, purists everywhere let loose a thin, reedy wail that reached the unanswering clouds. Honestly, though—did you people expect anything different to happen?
Speaking with Porsche Motorsport Division’s head of road-car development, Andreas Preuinger, CarAdvice got a predictable answer regarding potential RS models with three pedals:
“RS means Renn Sport, which means it has to be quick on the track, that it’s all about fast times on the track, and that means the PDK. The PDK has advantages on the track that can’t be beaten by a manual, and the ones who prefer the manual transmission are not typically the track rats as we call them, but they are those who like to enjoy their cars on the normal public roads. I would say a GT2 RS with a manual option would have a four or five percent share of the market, we couldn’t justify that.”
Translation: hell nah.
In a rare act of not attempting to be the best and fastest there ever was, Porsche, to its credit, did stick a manual in the GT3 RS-derived 911R, which purists were willing to pay a truly revolting amount of money for. And then Porsche gave the following GT3 a manual, which made the whole thing kind of.... pointless.
Suckers.
Anyway, don’t expect the current track scalpel, the GT2 RS, to ever have any manual option ever. A many-hundred-thousand-dollar limited edition, however...!
When tapped for confirmation, a Porsche spokesperson declined to respond in absolutes regarding future models and options.