The Manual 2027 Porsche 911 Carrera S Was a Hard Sell Internally

The 2027 Porsche 911 Carrera S is finally available with a stick shift again, but getting that transmission approved wasn't easy. Porsche North America CEO Timo Resch told Car and Driver that the manual option wasn't part of the company's original plans for the current lineup. His team had to convince their German counterparts that enough demand existed to justify making it a North American exclusive.

Resch cited a combination of factors that pushed the case forward: online comments, direct feedback at customer events, and input from dealers who hear from buyers regularly. The automaker also looked back at its own history, since the previous-generation Carrera S offered a manual.

Resch said it took gathering all that evidence to get Porsche Germany to greenlight the project.

The United States has an outsized share of manual 911 buyers compared to the rest of the world, according to Resch. S. customers order their GT3 Touring with a third pedal, and about 50 percent do the same for the regular GT3, still high globally. Resch added that as more trims shifted to the PDK automatic, there was some internal discomfort, but the manual offers a more engaging experience for enthusiasts.

" The 473-hp Carrera S sits between the 388-hp Carrera and the more hardcore performance models, making it a balanced option for those who want engagement without going full track weapon.