Manual transmissions are an endangered species in the modern car world. Each year, more automakers quietly drop the clutch pedal from their lineups, leaving driving purists with fewer choices than ever. Yet Porsche—long considered a defender of driver engagement—isn’t giving up just yet. While the brand’s mid-engine 718 models are on their way out and being replaced by electrified successors, Porsche has confirmed that the manual gearbox will live on in the 911, thanks largely to demand from American enthusiasts.
- Base Trim Engine
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3.0L Twin-Turbo 6-Cylinder Boxer
- Base Trim Transmission
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8-Speed Dual-Clutch PDK Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Rear-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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388 hp
- Base Trim Torque
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331 lb-ft
- Make
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Porsche
- Model
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911 Carrera
- Segment
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Sports Car
Americans Are Keeping The Dream Alive
During a recent driving event in Atlanta, Porsche confirmed to CarBuzz that manual take rates are higher in the United States than anywhere else. Despite the brand’s global shift toward electrification and hybridization, the data proves that American buyers remain deeply loyal to the analog experience.
For the Porsche 911 GT3, a car offered with either a seven-speed dual-clutch (PDK) or a six-speed manual, take rates in the U.S. easily outpace the rest of the world. In the 991.2 generation, 67 percent of American buyers chose a manual, compared to just 55 percent globally—a 12-percent difference. That gap widened with the 992.1 generation, where 46 percent of U.S. buyers picked a manual versus only 22 percent worldwide. The 992.2 GT3 Touring saw the biggest disparity yet: 70% of U.S. buyers went manual, compared to 43 percent globally.
Put simply, Americans buy more manual GT3s than anyone else, even outpacing European enthusiasts. And that’s saying something.
The 911 Carrera T
The same story applies to the 911 Carrera T, Porsche’s lightweight, back-to-basics sports car that’s now the only 911 trim available exclusively with a manual transmission. Offered as the second-least-expensive 911 (starting at $143,700), the Carrera T’s manual-only status wasn’t a nostalgic gimmick—it was a business decision based on strong demand.
In the previous 991.2 and 992.1 generations, 68 percent and 70 percent of American buyers opted for a manual, compared to 53 percent and 52 percent globally. That kind of loyalty convinced Porsche to drop the automatic entirely for the latest 992.2 Carrera T.
Losing a Gear, Gaining Soul
Interestingly, the newest 992.2 Carrera T features a six-speed gearbox instead of the seven-speed used in earlier Carreras. Michael Tam, Product Manager for Sports Cars at Porsche Cars North America, explained why: “There was customer feedback all the way back then saying the seventh gear is a weird reach. Let’s be honest—it was done for fuel economy reasons.”
When Porsche brought back the manual in the GT3 as a six-speed, drivers loved it. So engineers borrowed the GT3’s shift linkage and pattern for the Carrera T, making it feel more mechanical, direct, and engaging.
Tam added that Porsche’s growing lineup of hybrids and EVs gives it more flexibility on emissions, allowing the company to keep the six-speed alive. “We are willing to make the sacrifice today,” he said. “Back in 2013, we didn’t have any EVs, and we were barely starting to do plug-in hybrids.”
TopSpeed’s Take
For now, the U.S. market remains the manual’s strongest ally. As Porsche electrifies its lineup, American buyers continue to prove that engagement still matters—and that there’s room for three pedals in the future.
Because for enthusiasts, a Porsche without a clutch pedal just isn’t quite the same.