Porsche 911 gets the long-awaited stick shift

Porsche has decided to treat its most conservative fans to something they have been asking for for a long time. Now, instead of the robotic PDK transmission, you can purchase a 911 with a manual gearbox.

Furthermore, Porsche has priced both versions the same, which is not typical of the modern car market, where manufacturers usually offer one standard transmission type and charge extra for the other types.

That said, those buying the stick-driven 911 will additionally benefit from the free preinstalled SportChrono package, which is a paid option for the PDK version. The package includes sportier roll stabilization settings, dynamic engine supports, and drive mode selection controls conveniently located on the steering wheel. All manual 911 also take advantage of automatic throttling, a mechanical limited-slip differential, and a traction control system. The PDK models have electronic diff locks instead.

Not unexpectedly, this comes at the cost of acceleration performance. The stick-driven Carrera S and Carrera 4S hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in four seconds flat, while their PDK counterparts manage in 3.5 seconds. More acceleration times will be revealed soon.

Finally, it is worth noting that the entry-level Carrera and Carrera 4, both rated at just 385 hp (287 kW), will not be getting manual versions at all.