In Efforts to Preserve Manual Gearboxes, Porsche CEO Expresses Commitment

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It appears that Porsche executives are fully onboard with the cause of maintaining manual transmissions, as indicated by their recent statements. In a roundtable interview covered by The Drive, the head of Porsche 911 and 718, Frank Moser, emphasized the brand’s commitment to continuing the production of vehicles with manual gearboxes until the current generation of Porsche sports cars concludes. This is crucial as increasingly stringent emissions regulations have posed a threat to the existence of manual transmissions in some models sooner than anticipated.

“The preference for manual transmission among our customers is evident in the 911, and thus, we are dedicated to preserving the tradition of manuals for as long as possible,” Moser stated. “This is of utmost importance for the 911. It is why models like the 911 T with manual transmission and now the 911 S/T with a stick shift exist, responding directly to the demand from our clientele for manual gearboxes.”

When questioned about the likelihood of Porsche maintaining manual options throughout this current generation of cars, Moser replied, “We are actively pursuing this objective.” Thus, it appears that as long as the present iterations of the 718 Boxster/Cayman and 911 remain in production, so will their manual transmission variants.

<em>Porsche Boxster Spyder | Porsche</em>

Porsche is not alone in its commitment to offering manual transmissions. Many sports car manufacturers presently integrate manual options into their lineups, examples being the Honda Civic Si and Type R, Ford Musta’,

‘ng, BMW M2, Toyota GR Corolla, GR86, and more. Nonetheless, it is undeniable that the manual transmission market is shrinking, making it encouraging that Porsche continues to introduce new iterations of the 718 and 911 that commemorate manual gear shifting, such as the Boxster Spyder and the aforementioned 911 T.

Nevertheless, once electrification becomes standard, the future of manual transmissions appears bleak. While Toyota explores synthetic manual options for electric vehicles, potentially including simulated stalls, Porsche opts to maintain authenticity. Moser stated during the interview, “Authenticity is paramount for Porsche. Therefore, we do not envision incorporating manual gearboxes in electrified vehicles.”

It is undeniable that manual transmissions are facing uncertain times. However, some brands have been stalwart in their defense of manual gearboxes, and Porsche appears to be one of them. Porsche, based in Stuttgart, shows no signs of abandoning manual transmissions hastily, even amidst an evolving automotive landscape.

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