Wjohnson has a very valid point re: marketing and fuel economy.

But still ... I have to crack up at how Porsche always tweaks the transmissions from the norm.

First it was the PDK shift buttons, now a 7th manual gear! What next, first gear in the lower left?? I'm a fan of the KISS principal ...

 

In Los Angeles Traffic....USELESS!

 

PDK does have 7 speeds . In my opinion its one of the car's nehative aspects for those (like myself) who like to manually shift .

 

Same thing in my current car. 6th gear is a bit useless on these types of cars. Of course unless your on the AutoBahn or something.

 

only idea behind it may be further unification of PDK and manual gearboxes - essentially making manual tranny a 'motorless PDK' with same gears inside. would make sense probably, if they can find a cheap solution of how to fit in same gears.
i like it if they put in a new gear in between 2nd and 3rd and move current 6th gear into 7th position.

 

Over the past couple years, Porsche has been pimping this Corporate-esque slogan "Porsche Intelligent Performance" - I wish they would BAG this slogan. It just sounds like "I'm lovin' it", or "Have it your way", or some other stupid slogan. Just make great sports cars that are pretty efficient. You should be pimping your history with racing and nothing else. A stick-shift 7-speed manual might be a little too much shifting...and I'm not sure about this complex center console coming, either. 911's used to be raw, simple, fast machines. They might be getting a little too far away from that, driving the price further upward.

 

Not if it's just another overdrive gear.

For those on track, they'll never notice another gear (because perhaps the original ratio will still exist). But for people who cruise at 70mph for 20 hours, this may help - running lower RPM's.

I mean, it said lower cabin noise, and better fuel economy, right? We don't get this by changing all of the ratios, but we can adjust by getting a taller gear.

So those, who enter a given turn 4th gear, and come out in 3rd, will still enter in 4th and come out in 3rd. But they can save the 7th gear for the trip home.

(If I allow the GT-R to shift automatically, it likes to shift into 6th gear at about 32mph. This is how Nissan claims the amazing mileage I never see)

 

'stupid slogans' are how marketing companies promote any products, it is a unified approach to anything. what is much worse is corporate unification policy what essentially killed detroit cars, when designers make a brilliant prototype and then corporate worm tells them - good, now build this new car from available leftover parts we have stocked up for that family sedan that never got good sales, so great new car dies before it even got born.

 

This is exactly what the PDK does, but for 7th. My C2S PDK and P2S would always seem to hit 6th/7th (depending on Sport Mode or not) by 35/40 mph. While a 7th gear might have a funny shift pattern, it shouldn't change any driving habits other than highway cruising.

 

Looks like the author just posted an update today:

UPDATE (6/1): Our sources are now confirming that, for cost reasons, the seven-speed manual is derived from Porsche’s seven-speed dual-clutch PDK automatic.

Makes sense and is right on with some of your guesses - sounds like the gearing will be the same as PDK even in the new manual.

 

This is how I imagine 7th gear impacting (or not impacting) the habits of current owners. The one thing I miss from my C2 is the shifting (the way the stick moves into place (along with clutch feel/engagement)). It is something that (in my opinion) Porsche has done well for many years. I doubt they are going to throw that away.