Porsche 911 gains new seven-speed manual gearbox

The Porsche 911 Carrera S and Carrera 4S can now be ordered with a seven-speed manual gearbox in the UK. The transmission is offered as a no-cost option, meaning the two cars retain their respective base-prices of £94,350 and £99,925. First deliveries are expected to arrive this autumn, after the current travel restrictions are lifted.

UK buyers get Porsche’s new seven-speed manual gearbox with the brand’s Sport Chrono package as standard, which adds dynamic engine mounts, an automatic rev-match function and four selectable driving modes. Like the previous-generation manual 911, it’s fitted with a mechanical limited-slip differential and a torque vectoring system.

However, the new manual gearbox has impacted the 911’s performance. Porsche claims the seven-speed Carrera S takes 4.2 seconds to accelerate from 0–62mph, which is marginally slower than the automatic model’s 3.7-second effort. Despite this, both cars share the same 191mph top speed.

Porsche also says that the Carrera S manual is considerably lighter than the standard model, which should help offset the slower gearchanges. By swapping to a less complicated transmission (and losing a gear ratio), Porsche shaved 45kg off the 911’s kerb-weight.

Porsche has also expanded the 911’s options list for 2020, adding a range of technological and cosmetic extras. One of the additions is Porsche’s InnoDrive adaptive cruise control system, which can be specced as a £1,818 optional extra on models fitted with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The InnoDrive system was first introduced on the Panamera and Cayenne – and, as with those cars, it can predictively set the 911’s driving speed for up to a mile in advance, based on traffic and road data gathered from the car’s navigation system. It will also automatically recognise corners, speed limits and roundabouts and adjust the car’s speed accordingly.

Porsche has also introduced a new nose-raising system, called Smartlift. Priced at £1,709, the electrohydraulic system increases the 911’s ground clearance by 40mm at the front axle, allowing it to crest speed bumps without damaging its splitter. The system can also save the speed bump’s location and automatically raise the suspension the next time the vehicle passes over it.

Elsewhere, the Porsche 911 is now available with new lightweight, noise-insulating glass, a seven-colour ambient interior lighting system (£354), a new Python Green paint finish (£1,919) and a unique “930” leather package (£926), which adds quilted replacements for the seat centre panels and door cards.

Are you excited to see the manual Porsche 911 Carrera come to the UK? Let us know in the comments section below…