THE 2022 PORSCHE 911 GT3 has one analog gauge: the tachometer. It's huge, dead ahead through the steering wheel. And if you spec the GT3 with the six-speed manual transmission, it's a vital instrument. Because unless you own an early Honda S2000 or some type of Hayabusaengined Ford Festiva, you're probably not accustomed to 9000-rpm gearchanges. Rely on your ear and you might grab a gear at 7000 rpm-which is seriously short shifting. So you keep that tach in your peripheral vision, and when the yellow lights start to flash alongside it, your left foot goes to the clutch and your right hand to the shifter. At 9000 rpm, the 502-hp 4.0-liter flat-six sounds like it's trying to overtake the car itself. It's as if the GT3 Cup engine were back there. Which, of course, it mostly is.
The GT3's six-speed manual is a different animal from the seven-speed manual in other 911s, tracing its lineage to the 911 R. The shifter is gloriously easy to slot into place, somehow frictionless until the soft crunch of engagement tells you that you've hit the next gear. Revs climb—and fall off-instantly, as if the 4.0-liter has a fidget spinner for a flywheel. Mundane chores like parallel parking inevitably attract lookie-loos, so keep those revs up. Stalling a GT3 is almost as bad as stalling an airplane, in terms of embarrassment if not consequences.
The 911 GT3 manual has one cupholder, directly in front of the shifter. Do not use the cupholder.
In Normal drive mode, you can try to rev-match downshifts yourself. In Sport and Track modes, the car does it for you. Reverse is up and to the left of first gear, and its detent is not exactly a seven-foot-tall bouncer with brass knuckles. Tip: If you think you're in first gear but the backup camera is on, best check your work before dropping the clutch.
Esta historia es de la edición May 2022 de Car and Driver.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición May 2022 de Car and Driver.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Fleeting Thoughts
Updates and hot takes on the vehicles fortunate enough to spend 40,000 miles with C/D's editors.
Swedish Bliss
The new Volvo EX90 channels the brand's characteristic approach to wellness and serenity into an electric SUV sized for the whole family.
Tick, Tick, Boom
Tesla Model 3 Performance HIGHS: Nauseatingly quick, airy cabin with great visibility, genuine value. LOWS: Off-putting user interface, inescapable clinical feeling, austere interior design.
Black Ops
The new Precision package for the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing hones one of our favorite sports sedans.
Pay to Play
Porsche Panamera HIGHS: Ample motivation, fun in every corner, surprising fuel economy. LOWS: Grip levels drop slightly, big price tag, dumb touchscreen vent controls. VERDICT: The bottom rung, but you'd never know it.
Man-o'-War
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Manthey Racing HIGHS: A clinic on proper steering response, 9000 rpm of sonic glory, more grip is good. LOWS: A mirror full of wing, upgrades useful only on track, quiet only when it's off.
Low-Pro Hero
Honda Civic Hybrid HIGHS: Fuel efficiency of a hybrid, Si-beating acceleration, as comfortable to ride in as it is engaging to drive. LOWS: No adjustable lumbar support, low-limit tires, quicker at the track than in the real world.
Back in Tune
CarBahn CB3 M4 HIGHS: A monster inline-six with an available warranty, massive grip and lateral stability, a better-looking face. LOWS: The exhaust needs an off switch, suspension links clatter, steering is still mute.
Hurricane Force
Ram 1500 HIGHS: Quicker than the old V-8 Ram, powerful and smooth turbo six, class-leading luxury. LOWS: Detectable turbo lag, slow-to-react touchscreen, hands-free mode zaps confidence.
Good Vibrations
No one has to guess what's under the hood of the Ferrari 12Cilindri.