Quote:
Originally Posted by pothole
Sorry, but PDK is not the best of both worlds. Because it's not a manual at all and it doesn't give you the pleasures and involvement of a manual. It's a completely different technology and experience.
All you do is press a button. If you enjoy the process of controlling the clutch and rev matching the shifts, tough. Because the computer does it all for you.
I've spent plenty of time with PDK Porsches. Have driven probably five or six different models including a week with a PDK Cayman, so more than just 15 minute test drives.
But frankly, you don't need to drive one to know it's not the best of both worlds.
PDK is very good, but it's silly to pretend it's the best of both worlds. It doesn't offer the control and involvement of a manual gearbox. It's that simple.
PDK is something very different from a manual. If you like it, great. But to characterise it as the best of both worlds will give people who haven't tried it completely the wrong idea. It's not a manual gearbox at all.
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While I agree with much of what you've said, I take issue with the bolder statement. PDK is in fact a manual gear box with automated clutch and throttle inputs. It in fact has clutch and friction plates (2 sets). It is very fun to drive and is fast and more precise than almost any driver could be. I still find the manual tranny to be more gratifying. It's like putting a plane on auto pilot, it will hold a course more precisely and fly an ILS with no deviation, but it does not compare to the feeling one gets from hand flying well which one will lose the skill to do if always using technology to help.
I imagine people said the same thing about synchromesh when it first was introduced. Certainly there are not many folks that have a clue about double clutching anymore and on some level someone who drives a crash box well has superior skill too someone who can't.