Despite all the features available on the C8 Corvette, there are some enthusiasts out there who just refuse to come to terms over the lack of a manual transmission. And who can blame them when there is nothing more fun than rowing through the gears of a manual Corvette?
Corvette engineers did look into equipping the mid-engine C8 Corvette with a manual gearbox, but as we’ve heard time and again, it simply came down to economics. By the time the C8 Corvette was in the process of development, GM was already sourcing an advanced dual-clutch automatic transmission from TREMEC and the costs and packaging requirements to do a separate manual transmission would simply make it too costly for the estimated 15% of buyers it would garner.
Here’s what Executive Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter told Motor Authority just after the C8’s reveal in July 2019:
“We couldn’t find anybody honestly who’d be willing to do it. Because just like the automatic, the DCT, it would have to be a bespoke manual,” Tadge said. “It’s low volume, very expensive. The reason is it’s a low-volume industry. That industry is dying—building manual transmissions.”
“Every year it goes down, down, down, down,” he said.
The Dual Clutch Transmission for the C8 Corvette was developed with TREMEC and the units are built in Wixom, Michigan. That DCT was also a challenge according to Tadge because no one was making an off-the-shelf transaxle DCT with just the right dimensions. “We don’t just find a DCT, an 8-speed DCT that plugs into this architecture with the right dimensions,” he noted.
Now that we are seven years into the C8 era, TREMEC is making news once again as they have just revealed a new transaxle 6-Speed Manual Transmission that offers the same packaging requirements, and more importantly, it uses the same mounting points of the C8. According to the official press release, “Gear shifts are controlled via cable that connects to the shift mechanism on the left side of the transaxle.”
TREMEC says that by offering the new 6-speed manual in the same size and mounting points allows builders to use available factory Corvette components. The estimated ratings for it are 800 lb-ft of torque and 1,000 horsepower with engines capable of up to 8,600 RPM! Say, that’s Z06 territory…are you thinking what I’m thinking?
Of course, one of the major problems with shoe-horning this new 6-speed manual into your C8 Corvette might come down to electronics as the Global B electrical systems in the Corvette all talk to each other, and the data generated is used in all aspects of the cars performance. Removing the transmission from that equation will most likely lead to many other issues.
Having said that, we’ve met a lot of smart, crafty people in the Corvette hobby over the years, and if there is any group of enthusiasts who can overcome these challenges of doing a manual C8 transmission swap, it’s one of you guys. We’re just waiting for that “hold my beer” moment because the people or company that can actually pull this off would have the gratitude of Corvette enthusiasts forever!
Source:
TREMEC.com via theautopian.com
Related:
GM Offers Updated TechLink Article on Servicing the Transmission in the C8 Corvette
The C8 Corvette E-Ray’s Hybrid DCT Transmission is Potentially Revealed in Patent by Tremec
[VIDEO] The Corvette Mechanic Paul Koerner on Mating the Tremec DCT to the LT2 V8 Engine
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That is great news. The automatics only crowd would never understand Now lets see how long it takes until they final put one of the Tremec 6-speeds in a Corvette
I’m sure GM could work out all of the electronic items to make it work. I would be surprised if they offered it as an option as it would hurt all of their performance and economy numbers. But if the take rate is really low, maybe they would let that go. If Tremec has eaten the development costs, maybe GM would give it a go. I have some quality concerns as I’m on my second DCT. Feel free to ignore my comments if this is all just an AI hoax.
An automatic in a corvette…how flacid? That’s for secretaries and people who don’t know how to drive.
Who wants the potential issues with the DCT. Porsche learned the hard way and successfully brought back the manual. Too many old farts drive C8s and a manual will bring in a new market for younger buyers who want to own a sports car and not Dad’s Oldsmobile.
Wow the Copium is palpable in here.
Rc, you might have it backwards – its the younger ones that can’t drive a stick and crave electronic dashboards. As a geezer, I can drive a stick but the enjoyment lasts until encountering the first gridlock jam-up of the day. Besides, the DCT is faster and track-proven as there are no stick shift race cars anymore as far as I know.
The fly in their DCT ointment is that it IS a computer operated manual. It doesn’t make sense that no manufacturer has turned it into a fly-by-wire manual. That is how you get one gearbox that fulfills both semi-manual and full manual enthusiasts. The costs of making the computer actuate the clutches and gears based upon a pedal and the stick must be far less than building a stand alone gearbox.
Wow! One of the replies that “old farts” only like automatics. I am 71 and I own and drive 2 manual Corvettes. And traffic jams don’t bother me.
Chazoo, i’m 16 and ill say that i love to drive stick and i teach all of my friends on my miata. the old people who dropped manuals for autos are the reason they don’t make them anymore. also nobody cares if it’s faster to drive an auto if it’s way less fun
I agree with Chazoo. As a geezer myself and owner of a C8 Z06 I’m, fine with the DTC. As this is my seventh corvette which were all manual until the C8, the DCT is just a better drive. Sure, I miss the perceived control of the car with a manual. But I don’t miss driving in holiday/rush hour traffic with a manual. Besides younger drivers have no clue what the third pedal is for. When I had my C6 and brought in into a Chevy dealership for an oil change, the mechanic called me over to bring my car inside the service bay as he could not drive a manual. The only person who could drive a stick was one of the service writers, and he was out for the day. The mechanic was 35 years old.
Manual in any sports car is an absolute must for me, I refuse to drive any powerful car with an automatic until all of the manual transmissions go the way of the dodo bird. However, Im old (genX) so there’s that.
These young kids cant drive period. They dont even do real drag races anymore. These jokers finance some car that they cant drive or afford and ONLY race with a rolling start and an automatic transmission!?!?!
Where is the skill? Its absolutely nonexistent! They are going like 50mph on the highway, count 1-2-3 and put the pedal to the floor. Thats racing? NOPE. Anybody with 1 foot can do that! Bunch of jokers, its just like they do on their Playstation, hold the right trigger down.
That’s such a crazy thing .I have grown to like a automatic in my older years I still love to drive my mother’s oirsha bixter stick once in a while but I don’t miss shifting gears holding a taco and half the insides fall out after a couple gear changes and my console has hit sauce and greasy meat in every hole and I don’t miss being in a 3hour stop start traffic jam on I -75 coming home from Atlanta .but that should be the first box you have to have checked in your man card….I mean,your life could depend on knowing how to drive a stick ..during the zombi apocalypse and the only cat u can find with gas is a stick shift .
99.7 % of Corvette owners will never see a track. The pure enjoyment of double clutching and banging through the gears is an additional joy a good number of folks who don’tplan to commute their Vetts. Much like internal combustion, the exhaust is like adding sound to a silent movie and switching gears like rowing down some rapids.. Otherwise just use all electrics and sit at the charging station if pure speed is your only thrill.
I have spoken to a GM engineer about this topic before. The economics for not designing a manual transmission makes sense. But there is NO REASON they could not have give that 15% of users a simulated manual experience using the existing DCT. Sims are so good now a day, give us an electronic H pattern, and a clutch by wire. The throttle and brake are already electronic. Just give us a clutch too. I dont care if its simulated or controling the normal DCT. I just want the manual driving experience.
Somebody will do it aftermarket and figure out the problems, its just a matter of time. GM isn’t ever going to offer it in C8.
I am pretty sure that the 1953-54 C1 only came with a two-speed automatic (powerglide) transmission. My buddy in Florida had a 53-1/2 C1 with a straight 6 engine with two carbs as I remember and a pivoting floor shifter with a two-speed automatic. He traded a 1955 Porche Super for it. I don’t think Vettes came with a manual transmission until the first 265 cu in V-8 arrived.
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