Autoblog

The Porsche PDK system is a revolutionary new dual-clutch transmission that gives does lightning fast shifts without the need to move your left foot. That's not the only cool trick up the new Carerra's sleeve when equipped with PDK. The guys at Garage 419 found out from Porsche engineers that front-wheel drive can be disabled entirely by lifting up the parking brake a single notch. Once you lift up that brake, the four-wheel-drive Carerra 4 becomes a Carrera 2 and power slides and donuts are yours to discover. Follow the jump to view Garage 419's video review of the new 997. News about the front-drive shutoff is available at the two-minute mark, but the entire video is worth watching. You can check out our own first drive of the Porsche Carrera with PDK by clicking here.


[Source: YouTube]

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S with PDK

Introduced in 1963, the Porsche 911 is one of the most successful competition cars ever built. Despite its unconventional rear-engine platform, the 911 Carrera holds recorded wins in nearly every type of automotive competition. Continuously upgraded and refined, Porsche has introduced a mid-cycle refresh for the 2009 model year. While the cosmetic changes are immediately apparent, the most significant improvements – two new engines and a new double-clutch transmission – are hidden under its sleek skin. We spent a long day putting the 2009 911 Carrera through its paces on a race track near Salt Lake City framed by the spectacular snow-capped surrounding mountains of Utah. Read our impressions after the jump.

Photos Copyright ©2008 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above to watch Porsche's PDK gear box in action

Porsche's unveiling of the 2009 911 Carrera also came with the introduction of the new PDK seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox. It can shift 60-percent faster than the Tiptronic system, and reportedly helps the 911 S lap the Nurburgring eight seconds faster than the six-speed variant. Porsche has released a video explaining more about how the PDK works, showing off the dual wet clutches that are simultaneously connected to two gears so that when gear is engaged the next gear has been selected, essentially providing instantaneous shifts. Follow the jump to watch the PDK gear box in action and learn more about how the dual clutch system works.

[Source: Autoblog.it]

Porsche, like every other automaker under the sun, is under pressure to produce vehicles with improved fuel efficiency that emits less CO2. The current 911 puts out 225 g/km of CO2, but Porsche believes that it can hack another 10 g/km off that figure with the implementation of start-stop technology on its flat-six engines. Not so fast, say Porschephiles. According to the automaker, buyers aren't fond of such a feature on their arse-engined performance machines. Porsche didn't cite the reasons behind consumer's reluctance, but a 10 g/km reduction doesn't seem like much in the overall product scheme of Porsche.

During the launch of the 2009 911, CAR asked Porsche engineers what the CO2 limitations are of the current flat-six, and according to Thomas Wasserback, "it might be possible to produce a Boxster that emits 180 g/km, it would be difficult to engineer a 911 to produce 200." However, Porsche intents to maintain current performance levels, despite a possible reduction in engine output, by lessening equipment levels and making use of more lightweight materials and body shells. Interestingly, Porsche estimates that the new 911s equipped with the seven-speed PDK transmission, which increases fuel economy and decreases emissions, will account for 80-percent of all 2009 911s sold and could spell the end of the stick shift within five years. However, manual transmissions will remain standard on Porsche's 911 Turbo, GT2 and RS models due to the torque limitations of the PDK gearbox, but a stronger version of the 'box is in development, so expect to see dual-clutch technology on all those models in the coming years.


[Source: CAR]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Porsche 997 Carreras

The 2009 Porsche 911 has been formally unveiled, sporting lightly -tweaked styling, and important changes under the skin. The 3.6L and 3.8L engines to be found under the engine covers of Carrera and Carrera S models are new, featuring gasoline direct injection for the first time, and bringing more power and improved fuel economy in tow. The 3.6L engine now produces 345 horsepower (a 20-horse increase), while the 3.8 in Carrera S gets a 30-horsepower boost, coming in at a very healthy 385 HP. Both engines' fuel economy and emissions output levels are improved, with the Carrera Coupe boasting a 24 mpg (US) combined-cycle figure.

Also contributing to the cars' improved performance and fuel economy is the new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that arrives for 2009. Dubbed Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK), it replaces the Tiptronic S in the Carrera and Carrera S. Visually, the 2009 Porsche 997 is freshened with bi-Xenon headlamps, LED daytime running lights, and restyled taillamps that now use LED illumination. Also in back, you'll see that the Carreras get ovoid dual exhaust outlets, while the Carrera S cars get a pair of double-barreled tips. The cars arrive in Europe next month with a U.S. launch to follow later in this year.


[Source: Porsche]

The dual-clutch gearbox was originally conceived back in the 1930s by half-track inventor Adolphe Kégresse, but its first practical application didn't appear until nearly six decades later in the back end of some Porsche 956 and 962 race cars and some Audi rally cars. For whatever reason, Porsche dropped the idea in favor manually shifted automatic TipTronic gearboxes for its production cars.

Volkswagen finally brought the dual clutch system to the masses a few years ago with its DSG units. It looks like Porsche will soon finally add the setup to its road cars in the next few years with the brand name it used on the race cars – PDK for Porsche Doppel Kupplungen or Porsche Double Clutches. The TipTronic paddle shifters will be retained so that the driver can execute shifts without releasing the steering wheel. No word yet on timing or application, but as soon as we know you will.

[Source: MotorAuthority]