Latest Porsche 911 gains seven-speed manual

Porsche 911 buyers will soon have the option of a seven-speed manual transmission on the Carrera S and Carrera 4S, following the introduction of new updates for the 922-series coupe and cabriolet.

The 992 911's first manual transmission is offered as a no-cost option in Europe and the US, but it's not yet been confirmed if Porsche Cars Australia will follow suit.

In markets like the UK, the option of the new seven-speed manual become available if you tick the options box for the car-maker's Sport Chrono package, which adds dynamic engine mounts, four selectable driving modes, a tyre temp monitor and, crucially, an auto rev-matching function for the manual.

Opt for the third pedal though and you put a considerable dent in the 911's performance, with the seven-speed-equipped Carrera S taking 4.2 seconds to accelerate to 100km/h – 0.5sec slower than the PDK dual-clutch automatic version, although the 307km/h top speed remains unchanged.

On top of the more involving drive, there are other benefits from the DIY gear-swapper.

Porsche says the less complicated manual, which offers seven forward speeds compared to the PDK's eight, shaves a considerable 45kg off the 911's kerb weight.

Plumping for the manual-equipped 992 also adds a mechanical limited-slip differential with torque vectoring as standard.

Sadly, this offsets much of the weight saved from dropping the complex PDK auto and sees the manual 911 weigh only around 9-10kg less than the two-pedal version.

Other new tech introduced as part of the 2020 update include the new option of Porsche's InnoDrive adaptive cruise control, but only with the standard eight-speed auto.

Previewed on the Panamera and Cayenne, InnoDrive tailors the 911's speed based on traffic and road data from the car's navigation system and can even recognise corners, speed limits and roundabouts.

Another new option is a Smartlift, which uses the sat-nav's GPS coordinates to automatically hoist the nose by up to 40mm at speed to allow the Porsche to crest speed bumps without damaging the splitter.

Forever in the pursuit of saving weight to boost performance, the 911 range is now offered with a new lightweight, noise-insulating glass. Tick the box for it and Porsche claims you'll slash more than 4kg off the kerb weight while enjoying a noticeable reduction in road and wind noise permeating into the cabin.

A new ambient light design package, meanwhile, can bask the cabin of the Porsche with seven new colours.

Speaking of hues, the 911 range gets a new paint finish called Python Green.

Finally, a new retro leather trim also becomes an option. The 930 pack is said to pay homage to the first 911 Turbo (930) that was made between 1975 and 1989.

Opt for it and you get quilted leather seats and quilted leather door cards plus a variety of other colours and finishes.

The updated 911 is available in Europe from the third quarter of this year, but it's not yet known when it will touch down in Australia

And there's no word yet whether the recently introduced Carrera will be offered with a manual gearbox here.