Porsche announced that the 911 Carrera S and 4S can be fitted with a seven-speed manual as an alternative to the slick-shifting eight-speed PDK dual-clutch. The best thing about the news is that customers who opt for the manual won’t be charged extra, says the carmaker.

Prepare to row your own gears in the new 911

We’re not surprised by Porsche’s decision to drop a manual inside the 911. After all, the sports car is all about pure driving experiences and although the PDK is as apt as they come, a manual will always stretch the smile on anyone’s face.

Worth noting is that it will be offered with the Sport Chrono package, together with Porsche’s PTV (Porsche Torque Vectoring) variable torque distribution setup and a mechanical rear locking differential. In addition, the gearbox is fitted with a rev-matching gizmo that replicates the good ol’ heel and toe technique, while the package overall also retains the following:

-* dynamic engine mounts

-* PSM Sport mode

-* five drive modes: Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, Wet, and Individual

-* stop-watch

-* Porsche Track Precision App

The latter lifts the front end automatically by around 40 millimeters in every location that’s been previously saved in the car’s GPS brain. The feature is very similar to the nose lift system brought by the 2020 Chevrolet C8 Corvette.

How does the seven-speed manual alter performance?

Porsche’s literature says that with the seven-speed manual, the 911 Carrera S goes from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 4.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 308 kph (191 mph). That’s 0.5 to 0.7 seconds slower than the PDK Carrera S, which can pull of the same sprint in 3.7 seconds (3.5 seconds with the Chrono Package).

What’s more, the manual 911 Carrera S is 35 kilos (77 pounds) lighter than the PDK-equipped car, tipping the scales at 1,480 kilos (3,263 pounds).

Even if it’s a tad slower, the manual Carrera S is definitely the one we would take up a winding road. Perhaps, then, keep a separate PDK model for the city?