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Spent some time this summer in a new Ferrari 488 and a 512 and had a new Z06 for about a month. I also drive a 2008 Viper and all the other cars I listed are superior in many ways but the Viper was the only manual. I found myself craving getting back to that car for the sheer fun of that type of engaged driving. I'm so excited about this new C8 and I think it's going to be incredible, but I'm afraid if it's only paddle shift it's probably a deal killer, which breaks my heart. Anyone else feel this way?
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My suggestion is wait to hear what the official word is from GM on the transmission choices are for the c8.
i believe the early production cars will be all dct and when demand slows down a manual will be added to production.
i also believe at introduction a manual will be offered as standard equipment and the dct will be optional. The manual will most likely not be available in the early days of production to ease production ramp up and raise IAT
7 months after introduction in the dealerships is my best guess with regards to manual transmission availabily.
ive been driving manual transmission sports cars for over 40 years. My present corvette that i daily is a manual transmission z51.
i look forward to trying this new dct transmssion in a corvette I own. I have driven plenty of foreign sports cars with a dct and im impressed with the direct connection of the powertrain that always seemed to be lacking in torque convertor automatic sports cars.
i could care leas about stomping on a clutch pedal.
C8 here i come...dct is just fine with me. I do believe a manual will be offered by gm to meet the desires if sports car enthusiasts who just have to have a clutch pedal..
try not to worry as there has been no official gm announce,ent that there will be no manual transmission.
mazdas mx5, nissans 370z, porsche boxster, cayman and 911all manange to have both an automatic (sometimes a dct) and a manual transmission.
the list of vehicles offering both types of transmissions includes challenger, mustang, camaro and even the 25 grand vw golf GTI.
id imagine gm can manage to have a manual transmission qnd a dct transmission in corvettes as well.
suppliers of manual transmissions are anxious to meet consumer and manufacturers demand.
where there is a will there is a way.
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Tadge asked a question at the BASH, noting the sales for the auto trans were over 75%, how many of your manual folks would pay extra for it — and us manual lovers raised our hands.2023 Z06: Elkhart Lake Blue, 2-tone blue interior, HTC, Standard Z06 with Z07 aero pkg, CCB’s, 3LZ, E60, every visible carbon fiber option including wheels, Jake Design Pkg. Lifetime, annual contributors, and 25 year NCM members. Home is the beautiful Pacific Northwest.Comment
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That would be a deal breaker for me. I would not buy a standard. The only reason I have a Z06 now is it is an automatic.Comment
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If a manual is available I know what my choice will be, but if there was no choice it wouldn't be a deal breaker. Part of me thinks it's poetic that the manual ends with the front-engine Corvette, because change is inevitable and I'd rather have a Corvette with no manual than no Corvette at all (i.e. the Viper).Comment
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No deal breaker for me. After 53 manual transmission vehicles in a row, I am going to get the ME if it only has, as expected, just a DCT trans.
I am also with you that Corvette needs to make major changes to be around for its next seven decades, and with 60+ being the average age of its C7 purchasers (and I am one of those), almost all in that age group are not going to be here even 4 decades from now.2023 Z06: Elkhart Lake Blue, 2-tone blue interior, HTC, Standard Z06 with Z07 aero pkg, CCB’s, 3LZ, E60, every visible carbon fiber option including wheels, Jake Design Pkg. Lifetime, annual contributors, and 25 year NCM members. Home is the beautiful Pacific Northwest.Comment
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As John suggests, I suspect IF a manual is offered at all (and I majorly doubt it), the manual will be the extra cost option, not the other way around. But, as with all our speculation, time will tell.
I don't think a DCT would be a deal killer, but it might make me think about it more.Delivered 5/29!: Scarlet Fever 2021 2LT HTC, Red Mist Metallic Tintcoat, two-tone Natural w/ suede inserts, Mag Ride, Performance Exhaust, MRR 755 Gunmetal wheels, Soler throttle controller, SmartTop HTC controller
>18,000 miles
Proud member of the Old Dominion Corvette Club: https://www.olddominioncorvetteclub.org/
Never grow up - It's a trap.Comment
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If it's DCT only, the way it'll be a no-deal for me is if the DCT is a POS. Not all DCTs are equal. GM really needs this unit to be well sorted and robust.
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You are spot on OnPoint, that having a high quality DCT, properly calibrated with all the cars electronics, sensors, powertrain components, etc, is the key.
If when one slows down to stop at a light, it is clunky, or conversely if when you start to accelerate it is hit-n-miss, or when one downshifts or upshifts it is not a smooth, progressive process, dealbreaker!
2023 Z06: Elkhart Lake Blue, 2-tone blue interior, HTC, Standard Z06 with Z07 aero pkg, CCB’s, 3LZ, E60, every visible carbon fiber option including wheels, Jake Design Pkg. Lifetime, annual contributors, and 25 year NCM members. Home is the beautiful Pacific Northwest.Comment
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What gives me hope in this regard, is that my guess is, a large percentage of TC automatic Corvette owners have not experienced DCTs and their, ahem, "nuances", and those folks would have little patience for a poorly acting DCT. GM no doubt knows this - or least they should know it/anticipate it. A clunky DCT is not going to go over well. I don't think GM will allow that to happen.Comment
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From a profit standpoint ..if a manual is made standard and a dct was the extra cost option dealers would continue to preorder for inventory automatic vehicles ...which is how the take rate on automatics in the c7 are at 77 percent of production..Originally posted by John View Post
from a gm standpoint of profit making the manual standard offers a lower base msrp and then with 77 percent of production being automatic transmissions...gm successfully raises average transaction prices.
once a buyer is in the option list its the old what the hell for choosing more items....again raising transaction prices.
i want a dct. I only believe gm will offer a manual is for all the dreamers out there who are so enthralled with the idea of “control” of a sports cars.
i also believe no corporate executive at gm has the nuts to suggest leaving 23 percent of their existing customer base in the wind.
who would at any corporation bet their career on that?
i just dont see no manual transmission for the corvette until sales dropped into the single digits for the previous year.
could i be wrong? Abso freeking lutely.
dont worry till the official word comes out...Comment
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I think tat i've posted this before- My '17 GS is an automatic, after having a '15 Stingray M7. Do I miss the M7, absolutely, BUT, paddle shifting the A8 is fun as well. The difference is that for where I live, the A8 in stop/go traffic is obviously the better choice, BUT (there's that word again) there are times when I'm not even close to being in traffic that I surely do miss the M7. I go back and forth in my head about what to do.... I haven't come to a firm conclusion either way.
1 thing i do know is that if i buy an "end of the run Z06" before the C7s reach buildout, it will certainly be an M7.Comment
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DCT For ME. Performance will be much better and sorted well, will be less wear and tear on all the major componentsRocket City Florida - 2013 427 Vert - 2015 ZO6 - 2020 StingrayComment
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