Will the C8 Corvette Get the Same DCT Gearbox Found in the Porsche 918?

One of the seemingly important equipment requirements for the C8 mid-engine Corvette has been the inclusion of a dual-clutch transmission and with the release of RPO data from the GM order workbench a couple weeks back, we learned that an 8-speed automatic DCT is the only transmission available.

That info surprised many C8 enthusiasts, not that it was an auto-only DCT, but that it was an 8-speed DCT and not the 7-speed DCT we’ve been hearing about.

Corvette engineers really only have a couple of options due to the packaging and performance levels required. For the last year, many have believed that the C8 Corvette would utilize a Tremec DCT and Tremec has even stated that it has a pair of gearboxes headed for the US market (with one of those going into the Mustang GT500).

But with no 8-speed Tremec gearbox available, that pretty much leaves ZF as the only transmission capable of meeting the high-bar of requirements for inclusion in the C8 Corvette. ZF has a new 8-speed DCT called the 8DT and it can be found in a number of products from the VW family including the Porsche Panamera, the Bentley Continental and the Porsche 918 Spyder.

Road and Track has an interesting take on this as they show how the ZF transmission in the Porsche 918 looks very similar in design and features to the leaked CAD drawings that came out in 2017. With the 8DT rated for a maximum of 738 lb-ft of torque, it should be more than capable of handling the power of the LT2 V8 which is expected to have 500-hp as well as the mid-range powerplant that could offer somewhere between 600-650 hp. For comparison, the ZR1’s LT5 V8 produces 715 lb-ft of torque.

Road and Track also states that one of the advantages of the ZF 8DT is that plays nicely with hybrid models as well:

Using the 8DT also opens up an easier path for a potential hybrid variant. It was designed to be easily adaptable to hybrid applications with a compact electric motor that can be installed directly into the housing. They’ve already deployed a hybrid version in the Panamera e-hybrid, using ZF’s 100 Kw hybrid module.

Although an 8DT has not been shown with a similar case yet, ZF has stated that one of its advantages is that it is configurable for multiple applications. That means it is likely that they can reconfigure the new transmission much like they did with the 7DT in the 918 Spyder. This transmission might seem a little too exotic for the Corvette at first, but it is planned for use in a variety of applications. Its predecessor was fairly common and was used in a variety of Porsches. The main difference in the 918’s variant versus the others is some custom gears. It was also rotated 180 degrees to improve packaging and the center of gravity.

Source:
Road and Track

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