Porsche Sets Nurburgring Record With 911 GT3 Manual
The traditional standard gearbox has captured the spotlight and earned new respect with the news that Porsche has set a new lap record for the fastest production car with a manual transmission on Germany's challenging Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Piloted by 49-year-old Joerg Bergmeister, Porsche brand ambassador and celebrated professional racer, a factory-stock 2025 Porsche 911 GT3 with a 6-speed manual gearbox circled the 12.94-mile 'Ring' in 6:56.294 minutes—beating the previous record for a manual gearbox vehicle by over 9.5 seconds.
Manual, or standard, gearboxes have been around since the dawn of automobiles, when the operator was required to shift the transmission into different gears to drive the vehicle at various speeds. Engineers have spent more than a century attempting to engineer automatic transmissions that are smoother, faster, more efficient, and more convenient than a manual transmission. While early automatics, such as GM's Hydramatic four-speed hydraulic automatic introduced in 1939, reduced the driver's workload, they were slow to shift. Later iterations were quicker, but the 'slushbox' (a reference to the fluid in the torque converter) still had faults—driving enthusiasts preferred a manual gearbox.
The innovative dual-clutch automatic transmission, fitted to passenger cars since the early 2000s, solved nearly all complaints. Lightning-fast shifts and full electronic integration with the engine ensured performance that no human could match. The Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (translated to "Porsche dual-clutch transmission"), or PDK, has been offered with all of Porsche's highest-performing sports cars since its introduction in 2008. And it has been the performance-leading gearbox when pitted against the traditional manual in every instance.
The Porsche team celebrating the record at Nurburgring
Yet many driving enthusiasts refuse to let go of the manual, citing more driver involvement and engagement. While many automakers have dropped the option, Porsche—acknowledging consumer demand—continues to offer it on many of its models, including the 911 GT3 sports car.
'More and more customers of the 911 GT3 are opting for the six-speed manual transmission. And more and more often we are asked by these customers how fast a 911 GT3 with manual transmission would be on the Nordschleife', Andreas Preuninger, Director GT Cars, said. 'We have now answered this question and—although we know that the variant with PDK is significantly faster—drove our lap time with a manual six-speed gearbox. Even without the automated, super-fast and precise gearshifts of the PDK and with a mechanical instead of electronically controlled limited-slip differential, the new 911 GT3 takes around 3.6 seconds off its predecessor with PDK.'
The previous record for a production vehicle with a manual gearbox was held by the 2017 Dodge Viper ACR, with a time of 7:01.3 minutes (timed on the shorter 12.8-mile track layout). The Dodge was fitted with an 8.4-liter V10 engine with 645 hp. In comparison, the 2025 Porsche 911 GT3 features a 4.0-liter flat-6 with 518 hp—the Germans accomplished a much faster lap with smaller displacement, fewer cylinders, and less power.
The 2025 Porsche 911 GT3
'The new 911 GT3 inspires even more confidence at the limit than the previous model. I was faster in almost every corner,' Bergmeister said, describing the handling of the sports car. 'We learned a lot from the 911 GT3 RS, especially with the chassis. The car is even more stable on bumps and over the curbs. And thanks to the eight percent shorter gear ratio, there is noticeably more power on the rear axle when accelerating with the same engine power.'
The lap record is another accolade for Porsche, but it is also a win for driving enthusiasts who stand behind the manual gearbox. Bergmeister readily admitted that the human involvement and engagement made the effort even more enjoyable. 'Even if it would have been a few seconds faster with the seven-speed PDK – with the six-speed manual gearbox I definitely had more to do on the fast lap and thus also a bit more fun.'
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