My biggest gripe about the PDK setup is the direction of up shifts and down shifts using the shift lever. The DCT on my BMW worked so much more intuitively with upshifts in the back direction and down shifts in the forward direction. I think even Porsche has acknowledged this issue by switching the shift directions on the GT3. I'm wondering if anyone knows about a program out there that can flip the shifts on the shift lever.

 

I prefer the Porsche shift directions to the BMW. I have a 991S with PDK and paddles and a 2012 650 with paddles. I find the actual shift lever action in the 991 far superior to the BMW's. To me, forward to go faster and to the rear to slow down makes more sense than BMW's directions. Just my nickel's worth.

 

Agree, had both.
Forward is up and up is forward.

 

Maybe it's just me then. Under hard acceleration and deceleration though the DCT shift action seems more inline with the forces on the body. Curious too that the new GT3 PDK has gone the same direction.

 

+1, had a bmw loaner when car was in the shop the other day. Thought it was crazy to pull back to faster.

 

Personally, I think the Porsche direction is backward. I think that backward , hould be upshift, as youbare pushed back in your seat during acceleration. However, it really is arbitrary, as a manual shifter requires moth forward and back motions to shift thru gears.

What I feel is weird is why Porsche did it differently in the GT3. I don't understand why they would switch it...if track cars go a certain direction, why would road cars do it differently?

 

Porsche direction is completely wrong!!! Especially out on track.

The reason I suspect Porsche got it all wrong is because they made the direction with the shift lever match the direction of the push/pull buttons on the non sport steering wheel, which is the standard steering wheel.

They corrected it on the GT3, you only get the Sport wheel on it.

 

Me too. BMW is weird.

 

Porsche fixed it on the GT3, because back for up shift and forward for downshift is how sequential shifters properly shift in racing. They are hoping to give that similar feel with the PDK.

 

But,....the PDK shifter is push for up.

 

Sadly Porsche went status quo on the shifter because most other vehicles shift that way. They probably did not want to ruffle too many feathers with customers used to this with their other cars. As stated above, race cars (and BMW's) use the proper shift action. I bet there would be a big market for software which would reverse this mistake.

 

Because my other paddle shifters have right(up) and left(down), I've found myself upshifting needlessly, and saved by the PDK protections by not downshifting when I was at 7000RPMs at 4th gear trying to click down...

If I were to get a GT3, I'd get the paddles.

 

The direction doesn't matter and offers no ergonomic advantage anyway. Knowing your machine via muscle memory is the best setup. Better to keep your hands on the wheel and use the paddles. Using the shift lever on the floor is just a wasted arm movement away from the wheel.

Sorry Stardoc; I don't know of any..., but if I see one, I'll post a link.

 

Yes it is. But that's exactly why I do it when I get bored in heavy/slow traffic. ;-)

 

My bad.