Following in Ferrari's tire tracks, Porsche appears to be developing its own take on a manual transmission that's actually built around a dual-clutch automatic underneath, according to a patent filing spotted with the European Patent Office.

The filing shows one of Porsche's existing dual-clutch automatic transmissions fitted with an added clutch pedal and shifter, allowing the setup to switch between automatic and manual driving modes. In everyday auto mode, the transmission would behave like any conventional dual-clutch gearbox, shifting on its own without driver input. Porsche's patent also notes drivers could manually select gears by nudging the shifter forward and backward, or by using paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel, similar to how Koenigsegg's CC850 handles its own hybrid automatic-manual transmission.

For those wanting the classic manual feel, the patent describes a separate mode that activates the clutch pedal and lets the shifter move through a traditional H-pattern layout, mimicking the experience of rowing through gears in an old-school stick shift, even though there's no direct mechanical link doing the work.

This mirrors what Ferrari recently did with its limited-run 12 Cilindri Manuale. When Ferrari revived the manual for that car, enthusiasm was high until it became clear the transmission wasn't a true manual, but rather an add-on shifter layered onto Ferrari's existing dual-clutch system. Pressing the clutch pedal in Ferrari's version simply sends a signal to the transmission control unit, which then executes the gear change electronically. It's likely Ferrari went this route because developing an entirely new manual gearbox from scratch would have been too costly to justify for such a limited production run.

What makes Porsche's patent particularly notable is that it reportedly could work with both traditional combustion engines and hybrid powertrains. That distinction matters because Porsche's current hybrid systems, including the setup in the 911 T-Hybrid, aren't compatible with a manual transmission, since the electric motor is built directly into the dual-clutch unit itself.

Just last month, Porsche Cars North America CEO Timo Resch admitted that the automaker's existing hybrid technology doesn't currently support a manual option, while adding that he hoped Porsche's engineers could eventually work out a solution. This newly surfaced patent may well represent that answer, potentially paving the way for a manual-style shifting experience even on Porsche's electrified models down the road.

Source: Carscoops

See also our earlier piece: Porsche Reportedly Developing New Flagship Supercar With Flat-8 Engine