TO drive a manual 911 is one of the defining points in a carhead’s life.

Imagine the most precise, perfectly weighted and utterly engaging mechanical action you’ve ever encountered, double it, and that’s a 911 manual shifter.

And then Porsche all but ditched it from the 911 range. It’s a travesty only made bearable by the laugh-out-loud effectiveness and efficiency of the PDK double-clutch set up.

Porsche 911 R rear

The motor in question is the 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six that’s also going to be used in the new Carrera Cup version of the GT3, and which debuted in the wild RSR of last year. No word on exact power for the road car, but the Cup car – which debuted at the Paris motor show earlier this year – makes 357kW.

Porsche 911 RSR