Tuesday 6th September 2011

On Video: Porsches Past, Present And (Near) Future

Pair of videos detail the 911's history, and show us how that new-fangled seven-speed manual works

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The Porsche 911 has been through a lot of changes in its time. It's been cooled by air and water, featured rear- and four-wheel-drive, has been racing car, road car, and boulevardier convertible. Porsche has also, over the years, dropped turbos into it, automatic gearboxes and even a twin-clutch transmission.

Somehow, though, the rear-engined sportster has always kept a certain distinct character - something that this first video, which charts the evolution over the 911 over almost half a century, neatly illustrates.

And as for the second video? Well it's that new seven-speed manual at work. True black magic, that...

 

 

 

[Mermaid]

The early cars look so good

[thewheelman]

Upto & including the 993 the video was pretty good, then it turned from seeing your first love back when she was hot, to years later you bump into her, she's filled out & has a fat arse. Still a good shag though....

[Guvernator]

A 7 speed manual...REALLY??! What is the point? Is this turning into a silly game of one upmanship now. I predict we will be at 10 years within a few years. Oh well at least I can pretend I am in a Fast and Furious film now as I change gears umpteen times.

[Mermaid]

Guvernator said:

A 7 speed manual...REALLY??! What is the point? Is this turning into a silly game of one upmanship now.

Back to the overdrive gears of the 60's - can't find an image of the overdrive switch on the gear lever.

[Dagnut]

Those wheels are just terrible..

[MrTickle]

Guvernator said:

A 7 speed manual...REALLY??! What is the point? Is this turning into a silly game of one upmanship now. I predict we will be at 10 years within a few years. Oh well at least I can pretend I am in a Fast and Furious film now as I change gears umpteen times.

The PDK box has always been seven speed. They have just use that as a basis for the manual this time too.

[alexpa]

I'll take a '69 911R four cam and '72 911 2.5 SR please

[steve_n]

How does the 7 speed work?

I'm at work and can't see the videos... :-(

[Gary C]

Nice to have a slice of history

[Fastra]

steve_n said:

How does the 7 speed work?

I'm at work and can't see the videos... :-(

a bit like this really:

"Spinal Tap - These Go Up To 11"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll7rWiY5obI

[shouldbenicholas]

I know the design evolution isn't huge but for me the latest incarnation is the most beautiful since the original. Finally a 'new' 911 I can lust after.

[steve_n]

Fastra said:

a bit like this really:

"Spinal Tap - These Go Up To 11"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll7rWiY5obI

No Youtube...

I've seen the shift pattern, is there anything special required to get into 7th?

[Snoggledog]

First video. Body roll and seriously skinny rubber on the early models.
Second video. Blah, blah, efficiency, fuel economy, low emissions, blah, 7 gears, low emissions, blah.

[Veeayt]

I like 7-speed manual

[soad]

Mermaid said:

The early cars look so good

Very true

[Guvernator]

MrTickle said:

Guvernator said:

A 7 speed manual...REALLY??! What is the point? Is this turning into a silly game of one upmanship now. I predict we will be at 10 years within a few years. Oh well at least I can pretend I am in a Fast and Furious film now as I change gears umpteen times.

The PDK box has always been seven speed. They have just use that as a basis for the manual this time too.

Yes I know, I think even that was ridiculous to be honest as I think six gears is plenty, especially on a modern Porsche engine but I can sort of forgive it in a PDK unit as it's a paddle shift but surely in a manual it starts to get a bit a bit "crowded".

Also on the point about overdrive, surely that's what the 6th gear was for originally.

On another note will the TV program, 5th Gear now need a rebrand\rename as they are a bit passe now?

[AV12]

7-Speed?

[OlberJ]

Guvernator said:

Also on the point about overdrive, surely that's what the 6th gear was for originally.

On another note will the TV program, 5th Gear now need a rebrand\rename as they are a bit passe now?

What's the top speed on one of these?

5 gears is fine for 130mph top speed but as you move up you need more to make use of it all well.

Having all that PLUS an overdrive gear is a great idea.

[danger mouse]

Guvernator said:

Also on the point about overdrive, surely that's what the 6th gear was for originally.

I thought that too but I guess 6 is pretty standard these days and nowadays any decent supercar has to stretch up to the best part of 200mph the ratios won't be very close or the final drive has to be waaaay long. This might address that issue, and allow mapping for a peakier delivery (read: cheaply increase engine performance) with out hurting "drivability" or summat.

However, do I take it that Porsche have now "just invented" overdrive? I must get on with screwing the clutch in the BGT so I can justify sticking on one of them newfangled overmibobs like nearly all sporty'ish Brit' cars had in the good old days.

Edited by danger mouse on Tuesday 6th September 18:19

[PSIplease]

Guvernator said:

A 7 speed manual...REALLY??! What is the point? Is this turning into a silly game of one upmanship now. I predict we will be at 10 years within a few years. Oh well at least I can pretend I am in a Fast and Furious film now as I change gears umpteen times.

The video says that top speed is achieved in 6th, so 7th is a cruising gear that is too high for the engine to push to the red line or even to the same top speed as you can achieve in 6th as the engine will run out of torque. So gears 1 to 6 are used for spirited driving and 7th for cruising on the motorway or Autobahn. I guess to get into 7th you lift a lever to get it in as you would with reverse, no need to be able to access it quickly.

I guess that's the world we live in now where sports cars are expected to be fuel efficient and kind to the planet. Still, in order to appease the environmentalists I'd rather have a 911 with a 7th gear than a 911 hybrid, or god forbid, a 911 diesel.