The Corvette world has been on fire since TREMEC announced last fall that they were working on a manual 6-speed transaxle that just happens to have the same size and mounting points of the TREMEC’s 8-Speed DCT made for the C8 Corvette.
Many obviously assumed that it was headed to the C8 Corvette and possibly the Grand Sport. Former Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter had discussed previously with enthusiasts and owners that no manufacturer could take on the project based on the packaging requirements as well as the declining percentages of manual transmission cars sold.
The story took another turn during a Sebring question & answer session with Corvette’s Executive Chief Engineer Tony Roma. Asked about the possibility of a manual C8, Tony took a direct shot at TREMEC saying, “it’s not real,” and that he wishes TREMEC wouldn’t have done that. Those comments should have effectively put the nail in the coffin of any C8 Corvette having a manual transmission from the factory.
Now, we have a new response from TREMEC’s Aftermarket Business Unit Manager Mike Kidd who appeared on The Automotive Advantage Podcast and it was the first question right out of the gate.
Automotive Advantage: C8 transaxle. Everyone saw it at SEMA. Everyone wants to bolt it into everything. Everyone inaccurately probably believes it’s coming out in a C8 variant. What do the people need to know about it? Have you driven one? Tell me all the details.
Mike @ TREMEC: Yeah. So, Everybody made that assumption, right? We show up, we show this billet manual transaxle, and it looks very similar to the C8 DCT transaxle, which we did commonize some parts. But it was not intended to be for the C8. It is intended to be a manual transaxle that we could, you know, utilize in a lot of different applications. Will somebody put one in a C8? I’m sure they will. I can tell you that the phones ring off the hook every day asking us when can they have it, you know, cuz they’re ready to put one in.
Mike Kidd with TREMEC
Mike goes on to say that physical units will be available sometime in early 2027. The transmission also fits in other vehicles that utilize the TREMEC 9080 DCT including the Ford Mustang GTD and the Mustang Dark Horse SC. He states that it can even be used for unconventional applications like dune buggies or off-road vehicles.
His response was pretty clear that it wasn’t intended for OEM use in the C8 Corvette, and I know from talking with many of you that people just assumed that TREMEC wouldn’t have done it without OEM support. We also think TREMEC was pretty happy with the speculation at the time as Mike says the phones have been ringing off the hook about availability for the new gearbox.
During the podcast, Mike says that only 10% or so of their sales comes from the aftermarket which means that 90% is directly from OEMs like GM who utilize the transmission for the Corvette. Every single C8 sold has the TREMEC 9080 DCT installed, which by our count means that well over 200,000 units from 2020-2026 have been included in customer cars. With Tony’s comments towards TREMEC being pointed and direct, we bet there has been some efforts by the supplier to help “clean up the mess” that was made following the transmission’s reveal at SEMA.
But as Mike also stated, there will be some very interested parties who will attempt their own C8 manual transmission builds without any direct support from GM. Knowing that there is some pent-up demand for rowing your own gears in the C8, we’re still looking forward to the day when that happens.
You can watch the full podcast below with the C8 topic happening within the first 10 minutes.
Source:
The Automotive Advantage Podcast
Related:
[VIDEO] Tony Roma Says No TREMEC Manual Transmission is Coming to the Corvette: ‘It’s Not Real’
[VIDEO] A Closer Look at the New TREMEC 6-Speed Manual Transmission from SEMA 2025
TREMEC Just Released a Manual 6-Speed Transmission with the Same Mounting Points of the C8’s DCT
Subscribe Now:
![[VIDEO] HP Tuners Has Unlocked the C8's Transmission Control Module for Tuning](https://www.corvetteblogger.com/images/content/uploads/2026/07/070726_14-218x150.jpg "[VIDEO] HP Tuners Has Unlocked the C8’s Transmission Control Module for Tuning")
In before @SOFA starts making stupid comments about how GM should be forcing DCT owners into subsidizing his beloved rowing machines.
Mr. Mike Kidd @ Tremec transmission has designed a new DCT 9080 that will fit a Mustang GTD and the Mustang Dark Horse SC. He states that it can also be used for unconventional applications such as dune buggies or off-road vehicles. Congratulations Mr. Kidd! Thanks, Ray
I know a lot about manual transmissions. They are slow.
The Corvette is just not the same without a manual trans. I recently bought a C7 with auto. I was looking for a manual as a specificiation. Did not find the car. I miss the manual trans.
so now a trashcan Ford turns out to be the real Corvette whilst owners of the GM product must be content to doodle around in slushbox taxicabs?
after all these years and the more than half dozen times the legitimate Corvette dodged the cancellation ax dating all the way back to the hoary old underpowered C1, the General will kill its flagship on its own accord?
Comments are closed.