They announced that the 2016 F-types will come with an option for a 6 speed manual transmission.
Just wondering if there are any current owners who would prefer a manual transmission?
I never considered an F-type before because I really enjoy driving a manual.
Had decided on either a Porsche 911 or Cayman manual, but now that the F-type comes with a manual, this will make the decision much more interesting.
I currently own a 2005 Boxster.
For those of you with experience driving Porsches, how does the F-type perform, handle compared to a Porsche?
F-type front engined, 911 rear engined, Boxster mid-engined.

 

I had a 2010 911 cab. My F-Type v8 S kicks ***. The F is so much more fun and I play through the gears with the sport shift. Lots of fun and awesome exhaust note. I have had 3 Porsches and I may never go back. The 911 is more nimble and has a beautiful interior but that's all that it has over the F.

 

I'm a die-hard manual guy, and the F-Type is my first auto. The ZF 8-speed automatic is spectacular and almost enough to make one forget a the fun of a manual. HOWEVER, I probably will swap it out for a manual F-Type at some point.

I'm not a Porsche type, but have owned several M-type BMWs, Z06, Lotus, etc., and I am very pleased with the handling in the V6. It has a firm suspension and feels nicely planted at all times.

 

How does it compare to your old Lotus? (did you have an elise?)
On par? Close?
How does the "fun factor" compare?

 

I recall reading that the V8 powered cars will NOT have manual.

 

That is correct. They were not convinced that the the ZF manual they are using will stand up to the V8R torque.

 

Yes, I had an Elise, which is pictured with me in my avatar getting ready to make an SCCA autocross run. We competed primarily with Z06s in the Super Sport class like the one behind me, which is amazing considering the differences in power. Depending upon the course, a Lotus won about half the time and Z06s the other half. The 911s were actually classified lower, and not competitive in autocross. They tended to swap ends a lot.

On fun factor, it is very close. The handling feeling is similar, but the Lotus is far more go-cart like and precise. You simply pointed where you wanted it to go, and it would go there without hurting you and had unbelievable grip. The F-Type is not quite that good.

Since Lotus believes in no creature comforts at all in order to save weight at all costs, it was noisy inside, and it was brutally firm. It was probably the closest thing you could buy to a pure track car, which was street legal.

The F-Type reminds me of the Lotus more than any of my other cars, likely because of the "fun factor," but it's also a very different animal.

 

Similar threads, with similar questions/comments, are scattered about on this Forum and my comment is the same here as it has been elsewhere:


There's always bound to be something new and improved (and I guess the only thing which surprises me is how varied the options are or will be, just one year after bringing out the Coupe, or two years after the Convertible) - and that applies to almost everything (cars, electronics, etc.).


I could not be more delighted with my 2015 V6S - and LOVE using the paddle shifters - and do not plan on trading my car for...well...anything.


Best regards and Happy Thanksgiving to all!
RJ52

 

It's odd that JLR is using the S6-47 trans in the F-Type (max 470Nm) when they had previously used the S6-53 in the S-Type and Disco (max 600Nm) but either way the V8's are putting out 680Nm in stock form, well over 700Nm when tuned, so ZF does not have a passenger-vehicle manual trans to handle it, and I can't imagine a truck transmission (S6-650) would fit or work nicely in a sports car...

Of course there are many other manual transmissions that could handle the power, but it doesn't make sense to go to a different supplier for a handful of manual boxes when you are buying 100's of 1000's of automatics from your regular source...

 

Oddly enough, I'm getting the car for the flappy paddles. I still have a track car which is manual but needed something a little more wife friendly on the street (but a 2-seater and sportiness I desired).

 

And, if you've read what I wrote above, you're gonna love 'em (I assume you've test driven it?)

 

Flappy paddle shifts can be fun for a "race track" feel

 

Just for the record, I do very much love the ZF 8-speed auto in the F-Type, and the paddle shifters are total fun in this car. I say this as a die-hard manual transmission guy for more than 40 years, and this auto is my first in nearly two dozen sports cars.

However, there are certain enthusiasts who will never look at a car without a manual. Thus, I think it was a smart marketing decision.