Don’t rush to get a manual-transmission Porsche 911 yet, but it seems production of the seven-speed sports car might be limited to the next eight years.

Michael Schätzle, project manager of the new 911, said so in an interview with Automobile, citing sales figures that say 78 percent of the seventh-generation 911 sold with the PDK dual-clutch automatic. It’s a fact that might make driving purists cringe, but transmissions like Porsche’s PDK offer faster, more efficient shifts and consequently improved forward propulsion potential and efficiency.

The 2012 911 actually got a seven-speed manual, as mentioned above, which is a departure from the majority of cars being sold today. Instead it’s more common to see something along the lines of Mercedes-Benz‘ seven-speed automatic or Porsche’s PDK in high-end cars. Nonetheless, the company will offer a manual for the better part of the coming decade, if not longer.

It’s tough to see exactly what else will be available that far in the future, but easy to imagine feeling just as disappointed at not being able to throw a stick around during a 3-2 downshift and feeling the rear tires’ grip melt away.

As for that murky future, Schätzle told Automobile that Porsche is interested in looking at a 9-speed PDK for future models, though such extra gears will require a re-engineered transmission.

Schätzle also said the views he was expressing were his own, not those of Porsche. He also said that even if manuals are forgotten in the 911, they would likely remain on less expensive models.

GALLERY: 2012 Porsche 911

[Source: Automobile]

Reports are coming in that the next-generation Porsche 911 GT3 that is set to debut next year could be offered with a PDK transmission only. The 911 project chief, August Achleitner, recently confirmed that the German automaker’s motorsport division is testing both manual and PDK transmissions on the new GT3 and that only one of the two will make it to market.

Achleitner acknowledged that the PDK is looking like the favorite to be the only transmission to be offered on the new GT3 and that 30-percent of current 911 sales are manual transmission-equipped vehicles. He went so far as to say that when they launched the new Turbo S without a manual, they did not receive a single complaint. Too bad we were a little disappointed to even see that the Porsche Panamera Turbo S wouldn’t have a manual transmission option.

Lastly, Achleitner also confirmed that the next-generation GT2 and GT3 will have a variant of the electromechanical steering system found on the new Carrera.

[Source: Inside Line]

Porsche headed out to Sebring Raceway in Florida to put its new 2012 911 GT3 RSR race cars to the test ahead of their scheduled racing debut at the 60th Anniversary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Three of the US teams running the new 911 GT3 RSRs were in attendance as the race car made its debut: Flying Lizard Motorsports, Paul Miller Racing, and Team Falken Tire. The revamped GT3 RSR race car got plenty of changes to the body for 2012, coming in at almost 2 inches wider than its predecessor.

Powered comes from a 4.0L, six-cylinder boxer engine with 460-hp mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Plenty of aerodynamic improvements have also been made to the new 911 GT3 RSR.

“Our customer teams can expect a technically mature, high performance race car with which they will be highly competitive at international long distance races,” assures Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport. “Our test program on various international race tracks is currently running at full speed. We are very pleased with the car’s performance and drivability.”

GALLERY: 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR

Whittled down from all the cars in the world, a group of 66 automotive journalists from across the globe have released their top 10 picks for the 2012 World Car of the Year and World Performance Car.

That list, which will be further narrowed this month, is initially selected by secret ballot and then submitted for re-evaluation by the panel.

Members then have a chance to rate each car based on overall merit, value, safety, environmental responsibility, emotional appeal, and significance. The top three are then scheduled to be announced March 6 at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show during a press conference.

The 2011 World Car of the Year was the Nissan Leaf, while the World Performance Car was the Ferrari 458 Italia. What we’re most curious about this year is the fact that the Porsche 911 made it into both categories.

The 2012 World Performance Car finalists are:

• Audi RS 3 Sportback
• BMW 1 Series M Coupé
• BMW M5
• Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
• Ferrari FF
• Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4
• McLaren MP4-12C
• Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG
• Mercedes-Benz C-63 Coupe AMG Black Series
• Porsche 911

The 2012 World Car of the Year finalists are:

• Audi A6 Sedan / Avant
• Audi Q3
• BMW 1 Series
• BMW 3 Series
• Chevrolet Volt / Opel/Vauxhall Ampera
• Citroen DS5
• Ford Focus
• Land Rover Evoque
• Porsche 911
• Volkswagen Up!

Be sure to tune in for our coverage of the 2012 Geneva Auto Show, where we’ll be bringing you the latest. Also, let us know what you think of both lists in the comments section below.

10: Audi TT RS

Classic car insurance company Hagerty has just released its annual list of vehicles that it expects will become the collector cars of the future. The list of “affordable” collector cars is capped at $100,000 and comes on the heels of the annual Scottsdale collector car auction week.

“After more than twenty years of witnessing car-collecting trends, we have the unique ability to look at new cars through the eyes of a collector,” said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty Insurance. “This year’s Hot List includes cars that are sure to develop a cult-like following because their characteristics resonate with driving enthusiasts.”

Starting off the list, and a favorite of ours is the Audi TT RS which retails for $56,850 and is a favorite amongst automotive enthusiasts as an affordable, fun ride without having to indulge into Porsche costs. The TT RS has plenty of global appeal which means it’ll have plenty of global demand down the road. And besides, Audi consistently finds itself at the Le Mans podium; you just can’t argue with success.

Porsche continues to be a tremendous success story, particularly since the launch of the Cayenne SUV. A vehicle that saved the German sports car maker from bankruptcy, in some markets it now accounts for half of the brand’s sales, raising the question, is Porsche too reliant on the Cayenne?

The answer would seem to be in the affirmative. One shocking statistic comes from last year’s sales figures. Porsche Cars USA posted impressive figures with 29,023 units sold, a solid improvement over 25,320 in 2010. According to a report by automotive statistics firm GoodCarBadCar, if you remove all Cayenne sales from the mix the remaining number is 16,045. What’s so shocking about that? Well, Porsche’s sales in 2002, before the Cayenne joined the fleet, were 21,320 units, meaning that, Cayenne aside, the last time Porsche sold fewer sports cars than they do now was in 1997.

The time in between has seen the addition of the Cayman, hardly a volume seller, but still a factor in propping up the brand’s sports car numbers. And those years prior to 1997 are the pre-Boxster era.

The numbers are negligibly different for 2010 as well, with 16,997 Porsche models sold if you don’t include the 8,343 Cayennes. Subtract the 7,741 Panameras too and you’re left with just 9,256 Porsche sports cars sold. Delete the 7,735 Cayennes from the 2009 sales figures, Porsche’s worst year in over a decade, and you’re left with a slightly better 11,961 total, which includes few (1,247) Panameras. Jumping back another year to pre-recession 2008 and total sales are a more robust 26,035. Delete 11,216 Cayennes and you’re left with 14,819 sports cars.

A key contributing factor to the decrease in Porsche’s sports car sales over the past few years has been lower and lower sales of the 911. In 2007 Porsche sold 13,153 units, dropping to 8,324 in 2008. Jump ahead to 2009 and the number slides further to 6,839 and then just 5,737 units in 2010. It was only last year, with the addition of numerous special edition models and dealers eager to push 2011 models off their lots to make room for the next generation car that 911 sales increased to a few hundred units to just over the 6,000 mark.

Increased sales of the Cayenne and decreased sports car sales could be entirely unrelated events, though there is the possibility that Porsche customers are foregoing cars like the 911 for the Cayenne. Or, there’s the possibility that 911 customers are just going somewhere else entirely.

Based on these numbers it’s not surprising that the brand has announced another sports car to sit between its upcoming flagship 918 and the 911 range. Until that product gets here, the launch of the 2012 911 models and a new Boxster will certainly bolster the brand’s sports car balance sheet.

First announced back in late November of 2011, Porsche has officially debuted its 911 Carrera Cabriolet and Carrera S Cabriolet at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The new 911 Cabriolet features a soft-top, retractable roof  with a glass rear window that has been glued directly to the outer fabric skin. The 911 Carrera Cabriolet will start at $97,300 while the Carrera S will be priced from $108,000.

The powerplants in both models will be identical to the 911 Coupe, with the Carrera Cabriolet sporting a 3.4L with 350-hp while the Carrera S Cabriolet will be powered by a 3.8L with 400-hp. Both models will feature Porsche’s newly developed seven-speed manual as the standard transmission, but an optional seven-speed PDK double-clutch transmission is also available.

America is Porsche’s largest market for the 911 Cabriolet model, so its official debut at the Detroit Auto Show made sense for the German automaker.

The new-generation 911 Coupe will be available in the US starting next month and Porsche announced that the Cabriolet variant will be following a few months later.

GALLERY: 2012 Porsche 911 Cabriolet

See AutoGuide’s Complete 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage Here

Men in the U.S. went big, brawny and sporty in 2011 – that is, when it came to the kind of vehicles they bought this past year.

According to J.D. Power’s Power Information Network (PIN) real-time transaction data, men leaned towards sports cars and pickup trucks in the first 11 months of 2011. In fact, out of the top 10 new-model vehicles that men bought or leased, six of them were large pickup trucks or vans. Topping the list of model pickups and vans were the Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado. The data shows that these vehicles were purchased for commercial uses, not necessarily for dropping kids off at soccer practice.

Also in the top 10 models were three cool sports cars – BMW M3 , the Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette. The M3 had highest number of male car buyers in the sports category, with most of these buyers falling into the 16- to 35-year-old demographic. The Porsche 911 was the second top pick, followed closely by the Corvette.

Also making the 2011 list is the GMC Sierra, the Audi A8/S8, the Ford Econoline and the Chevrolet Express. One of the new entries on the list this year is the Chevrolet Volt, although it didn’t crack the top 10.

[Source: J.D. Power and Associates]

Out in Germany, a new vehicle must be inspected after three years by the TÜV, similar to America’s state-level emissions and inspection process (albeit much more rigorous). After that, residents of Germany then have to get their vehicles inspected every two years and each visit involves an extremely thorough inspection of your vehicle.

Failing the inspection means you have to get it fixed immediately. Fail it again and you won’t receive an inspection sticker and your vehicle will not be permitted to be driven on the road. So with all these vehicles coming in and out for inspections every year, there’s got to be a ton of good ‘ol data waiting to be reported right? Of course, it’s called the TÜV-Report and it won’t be published until December 16th. But of course we have the Internet and those dates mean nothin’ to us!

Between July 2010 and June 2011 an overwhelming 7,779,312 cars were inspected and The Truth About Cars decided to publish the results from all the new cars that got their first inspection after three years, and the results from 10-11 year old cars. At the top of the new car list was Toyota‘s Prius with 1.9-percent complaints, while tied for second place was Toyota’s Auris and Mazda‘s 2. Tied for fourth (and really just rounding out the top five) was Porsche‘s Boxster/Cayman and VW‘s Golf Plus. And at the very bottom of the new car list? Say hello to Dacia’s Logan. This is the second time in a row the Prius has taken the top spot.

Now for the 10-11 year old cars, Porsche’s 911 took the top spot while Toyota’s Rav4, Yaris, and Avensis came in second, third and fourth respectively. Rounding off the top five was Mazda’s MX-5. It’s not a huge surprise that Porsche’s older cars stay on top of the list, with Germans treating them with pristine care and service. The 911 also topped the 6-7 year old bracket and the 8-9 year old bracket. And at the bottom of that list? Ford‘s Ka takes those honors with an astonishingly high 38.9-percent complaint rate. That means more than one out of three Kas leave the inspection without a decal – yikes.

[Source: The Truth About Cars]

12. Toyota Camry

While automakers and outside research firms publish sales figures and earnings reports on a regular basis, one metric we rarely get a glimpse of is how profitable each vehicle is. In an era of re-badging and platform sharing, one would think that the most profitable vehicles are those with a large number of derivatives to spread the cost around. But a new report from Bernstein Research suggests that two factors – price point and volume – are the keys to making big bucks off vehicles. And judging by the list, longevity seems to help as well.

Number 12 on the list is the Toyota Camry, and for good reason. The Camry has a number of factors in its favor – massive volumes, an accessible price point and its made in America (currency fluctuations, particularly a rise in the euro or yen, can make exports unprofitable). Bernstein’s report notes that high volume cars at a medium price point are one of the keys to profitability, and the Camry might be the textbook definition of this formula. The Camry’s twin, the Lexus ES350, was absent from the list, but no doubt earns its keep, as a gilded version of the Camry.