Porsche Says If You Want A Manual Gearbox, Just Ask...
Porsche has significantly limited manual transmission availability for the 2025 911 lineup, but the company hasn’t ruled out reversing course—if enough customers ask for it.
Key Points
- Manual transmission is currently only available on the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera T and GT3.
- Porsche dropped the manual option from the Carrera S, Carrera 4S, and GTS for 2025, citing low global demand.
- The company says it may bring back manual options in more trims if consumer interest increases, especially in the U.S. market.
Currently, the only 911 variants available with a manual gearbox are the revived Carrera T and the high-performance GT3. For the rest of the lineup—including the Carrera S, Carrera 4S, and Carrera GTS—buyers are limited to the PDK dual-clutch automatic. The decision to drop the manual from the S and 4S models caught everyone by surprise, especially since those trims previously enjoyed a healthy take rate for the do-it-yourself option.
“We decided to make one model as a manual, and keep it like that, because we didn’t expect that high demand in the market,” Clenn Giebenhain, project manager for the 911, told CarBuzz.
He added that Porsche is aware of the feedback and hasn’t ruled out a return of manual options in more mainstream trims. “If the question is, will we get the manual in the Carrera S, I cannot answer it today because it’s not decided. But, of course, we read the articles and read the demands, and we’re thinking about that.”
Porsche removed the manual from the GTS trim to accommodate a new hybrid drivetrain, but the S and 4S were discontinued for other reasons—chiefly, market demand outside the U.S.
While Europe traditionally has been seen as a stronghold for manual cars, Porsche says the U.S. actually shows higher interest in manual 911s, despite a recent plateau in take rates. "It's a surprising trend in the US to see higher rates [for manuals] now. But it's a good surprise."
That leaves enthusiasts with limited options. The Carrera T and GT3 are produced in smaller numbers and often require strong dealer relationships to secure an allocation. This is an unfortunate contrast to past years when a stick shift was a simple box to check on more accessible trims like the base Carrera and Carrera S. Personally, I've never driven a Porsche 911 older than a 991 gen without a manual.
This wouldn’t be the first time Porsche has changed its mind. In 2014, the GT3 went automatic-only before Porsche reintroduced a manual option four years later in response to customer feedback. If buyer interest increases, history will probably repeat itself.
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An experienced automotive storyteller and accomplished photographer known for engaging and insightful content. Michael also brings a wealth of technical knowledge—he was part of the Ford GT program at Multimatic, oversaw a fleet of Audi TCR race cars, ziptied Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars back together, been over the wall during the Rolex 24, and worked in the intense world of IndyCar.
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You want a manual, sure we can do that for you. That will be an extra 10k please.