Thespian

Based on what I have been hearing/reading, it appears that the 6-speed automatic is what we will have for the forseeable future. I was really hoping for an 8-speed automatic (with paddles) and I was willing to wait until summer of 2014 to get a 2015 convertible with an 8-speed auto.

Has anyone heard otherwise?

Bill17601

Not important with 450 lbs of torque. My C5 had 4, my C 6 has six, they both hauled butt. I think the et difference would be hundredths of a sec.

ANTIVNOM

I think that's a good thing personally. Most of the reviews I've read on cars that do have 8 speed autos comment about how the transmissions seem to constantly be hunting gears. I would find that most annoying.

TAL

I think a clue will be if the A6 is offered as a no-cost option.

They did this with the 4-speed auto at the C6 intro. As we know; the 6-speed auto was introduced the next year (06) as a $1250 option.

rcallen484

I agree with both of these statements. Remember, the new extra gear in the manual is another overdrive. In my A6 I tach 1,500 at 70 mph and still under 2,000 at 80 mph. Another overdrive doesn't seem necessary.

TAL

Is this with 2.56 or 2.73 gears?

rcallen484

Whatever is stock in a 2011 coupe.

NSC5

If the "fast shift" enhancements made to the A-6 in the past couple of years are further enhanced in the A-8 then it could be a big deal.

Otherwise for performance I don't think the extra two gears are a big deal. Tire traction is a limiting factor at the low end, maybe one more overdrive will provide a slight increase in highway MPG assuming there is enough low RPM torque in 4 cylinder mode for this to work.

For the new line of pickups I can see the usefulness of additional ratios to provide the best match for a given load and grade while towing but that sort of environment doesn't apply to the C7. For 0 to 60 and quarter mile runs it would be interesting to see the analysis of where an additional intermediate range would be useful keeping in mind the cost of an additional shift.

Maybe in a couple of years we will see the youtube video of an old school 2 speed powerglide taking on the A-8 C7 at at strip

Parker Corvette

A 6 speed auto is just fine due to the fact that GM doesn't have an 8 speed transmission. My 8 speed doesn't "hunt" for the proper gear. It is very smooth and I believe I get 2 mpg better milage. Next year when they announce the 8 speed auto they will be praising it as will you.

And by the way. Who cares about the 1/4 mile these days. MOst Corvettes never see the drag strip. In our large club very few attend the monthly club clash. VERY few.

BRCC

You are right, if a No-Cost option for the A6 is in the 2014 package, their will be a A8 for the 2015 year. If it's a cost for the A6 there will be a few years before we see a A8.

HumanWiki

I care about 1/4. Very much so. So do many others in my area.

I Bin Therbefor

Simply, the CE said that there is no currently available 8 speed automatic that meets the C7 packaging and power handling requirements. He also said that the team is constantly looking at new developments. Other sources have said that GM has an 8 speed automatic under development, but the unit is not ready for release. No one has said if the GM 8 speed automatic under development will meet the C7 power and packaging requirements. No one has given a release date for the GM developed 8 speed automatic.

One reason that this is important is that the automatic makes up a large % of the Corvette sales. One other point, the CE said that the torque curve of the LT1 can be really felt espically with the offered 6 speed automatic.

rcallen484

Maybe, since this would constitute a major transmission mod, they are going all out and developing one that will take the maximum hp anticipated for any version of the C7 during its entire model run. Something that could handle up to, say, 800 hp

loyalsince72

At the Reveal, Tadge indicated that No 8 speed automatic currently exists that can handle the torque AND fit into the C7 tunnel. They tried the one that fits & blew up 2 or 3 of them rather quickly.

JerriVette

2 years from production start....will offer 8 speed automatic with minimal performance improvement but it will offer 2 mpg if you care...

Paddle shift technology might improve yet its been said the 2013 corvette c6 already has programing improvements.

I might just go test drive a C6 automatic to see if its real or memorex as far as improvement. You might want to do the same...