Do your own research by test driving an A8 & M7 Stingray at your local dealership to make an informed, intelligent choice. The choice is entirely up to your personal preference and driving skills, nothing else. Except for maybe cost, as the A8 costs more and comes with a GM imposed gas guzzler(surcharge to recoupe investment) tax.
If that isn't practical or feasible, some dealers don't let customers test drive Corvettes, maybe a sympathetic friend that owns a C7 would be nice or dumb enough to let you drive theirs. Or not. Either way, you need to drive each one and then decide which is best for you. IMHO.

 

Obviously you don't know how to drive a stick and is well over 55 years old to be making a idiotic comment like that. I can't believe that GM offered an automatic on the Z06. IMPO.
FYI: GM offered the automatic and convertible on the Z06 due to "customer demand". My wife insisted on a stick when we ordered our 2016 LBR Z06 and we're both over 55. :

 

Unfortunately that is not an option where I live.

Anyway, thanks for all the replies, I'm ordering the manual.

 

I have the automatic (with no real issues), but if you read some threads the A8 has some lurching issues for some owners. Much depends on how you drive the car whether these issues will surface more frequently. I have experienced two occurrences where the car lurched (after doing some quick gas and brake usage), felt like I got rear-ended. A friend has issues nearly every time he drives his car.

If you've had manual's in the past and like them, then I would stick with the manual transmission. My buddy regrets not going with the manual now.

 

That makes no sense. People like to hear other opinions and perspectives that they may not have considered or weighed differently.

 

I've driven the C7 in all 3 trans flavors and like all of em really. The A6 worked well once you were flogging it, but tended to hunt a little when you'd get on it after driving mellow. I think this might be extra time for afm to disengage. A8 car seems to react faster in this scenario. A8 is pretty good actually. I do like how since the 2012 A6 C6 they've improved the paddle shifting to the point it's actually useful and fun. A8 improves on this even more to where you can truly enjoy driving the car in manual mode.

I didn't feel the A8 was worth $1800 so I went with a manual C7 myself. If the cost of the A8 was the same as the M7, I probably would've had to spend an extra week just deciding which one to order.

Depending on driver, the M7 is considered the slowest, but with a good driver you can shift the m7 just as fast as the A8 can shift. (flame suit on) No lift shift is pretty cool once you get used to leaving your foot on the floor, and the sound of going through the gears is very similar to the sound you hear with the A8. M7s real disadvantage is finesse off the line, but it's strength is thrill factor. Take a ride in an M7 driven by someone who can properly speed shift it and I think anyone would agree it's the most violent and entertaining of the 3.

 

To me a sports car means having a manual shifter. Let Ferrari and Lambo (and Porsche) tell you the dual clutches are faster on the track and not let you buy anything else. For me it was (and always will be) a no brainer to get my sports car with three pedals. I'll leave the auto to my wife's sedan and our SUV. My C7 has the manual, and if/when I trade for a Z06, it will also be manual.

I have a very close friend who bought a C7 with auto off the showroom floor because he did not want to wait to order. Guess what? After Spring Mountain (and driving my car) he has sold the auto and is buying a manual. He'll be going through one of the big Forum dealers next week.

 

Great choice! I didn't get to test drive mine either. I love my manual and I couldn't have it any other way. It's pretty much the whole reason why I got this car. If I wanted a sports car in an automatic, I probably would have gotten something totally different. There are few cars that actually offer a manual these days and the Corvette is the best for the money.

I DD mine through traffic everyday and I never regret it. I use the auto rev match sometimes and it can get pretty loud downshifting. Trust me, you'll enjoy it too.

 

I don't mean to hijack your thread, but I'm in a similar boat and hopefully my dilemma and any replies to it will help you in your decision as well. I test drove both the A8 and the M7 last week. There's no denying the fun factor that came from driving the M7. The rev matching is phenomenal, and the engine note that blip produces is intoxicating. The clutch is really light but not mushy, forgiving but not imprecise. The hill start assist works beautifully. No need to mash the gas, dump the clutch, or attempt to use the e-brake.

When I got back to the dealership my wife saw the look on my face and knew which one I wanted, but unfortunately she does not feel comfortable with a manual and would prefer the A8. I thought the A8 was a solid transmission, quite capable and still fun, so I'm really torn about this decision and trying to talk myself into the A8.

Here's what I'm telling myself:

1. Remote start is awesome
2. Heavy traffic is no fun in any manual, regardless of how easy it is to drive
3. The automatic is slightly faster
4. The paddles work well enough to have some fun when I feel like having control

Anything else I'm missing? I've been told that resale is better on an automatic than a manual. Is that true?

 

Sounds reasonable. I'd guess the resale of the M7 isn't really any different though. While there's is a more limited market for the M7, the people buying them are specifically seeking them out.

As for remote start, I think this would be a very bad thing with DI engines. If you use remote start a lot, this might be another case for a good catch can.

Another thought is the wife and the M7. Have her actually test drive one. Put the rev match on and she just might dig it. My gf raves about the car in this regard. All my cars are manual, and she's owned cars with manual transmissions so she's confident already, but the M7 with the rev match makes the car easy for her to drive smooth.

 

Are you buying the car for yourself, your wife, or to share? If one of the latter two, get the A8 and get ready to be a little disappointed. The A8 is great for an auto, but it's not the same grin factor as rowing the gears while pumping the clutch---just ain't.

My wife doesn't like manuals either, but fortunately the C7 is my daily driver and my preference controls.

 

I absolutely LOVE THE MANUAL! You can't go wrong with it, and the rev-matching is a thing of beauty. Plus, everyone who sees the car asks me "Stick or Automatic"? When I reply "stick, of course", you get the biggest smiles.

 

I bought the C7 because of the M7.Would never consider an auto.If the C8 or C9 are automatics only well then this will be my last corvette.

 

 

But the transmission choice is a personal one, I mean it comes down to what you want, not what everybody else wants. Everybody knows the pros and cons of each. It's kind of like asking what the hair color of my next wife should be.

 

The A8 has rev matching

 

Yes you want the M7 but are letting your Wife make the decision to to get an A8. But keep trying to convince yourself that the A8 will be the right decision. You know it is NOT.

 

Manual

If I wanted an automatic I would have bought a Porsche, it really is the only automatic worth getting in a sports car.

Chevy can claim the A8 is as good, or better, but that did not pan out once they got out in the real world. Shifting issues, programming issues, overheating issues.

Besides all that, rowing your own gears is what makes throwing down the hammer so fun in a sports car

 

Hmm! Think you missed the point! Some of us "old timers" (I'm 72) started with 3 speeds! In my case 3 on the floor in a '41 Ford Opera Coupe (that I stuffed in an Olds engine-no Chevy's then in the junk yard only Olds and Cadillac.) Then I inherited Pop's 3 speed column shift '50 Ford then had many standard shifts in between including my 1st 7 speed a '84 Dodge Colt Turbo with two shift levers on a 4 and 2 speed. You could drive like a trucker and split shift and get 7 gear ration's!
Your comment reminded me of my 1st Vette, an '88 with Doug Nash 4 speed and two speed electronic overdrive. The overdrive could be used in all but 1st gear so it also was a 7 speed! One of my young product managers, who had an automatic Vette asked if I was too "cheap" to get an automatic! As I recall they cost the same! Not cheap- just an old gearhead!
One thing I see on the forum is some old timers who couldn't wait for a 4 speed, then a 6 speed, now feel they need to row thru all the gears with the 7 speed. IMO that is not rational! There are three overdrivers, 5th, 6th and 7th. I go thru 4 most of the time then pick which overdrive fits where I'm driving! For example if getting on the freeway I'll accelerate on the on-ramp in 4th then shift to 7th (might even accelerate in 3rd- that's only 4400 rpm at 70 mph, 2000 rpm under read line - and fun.) Getting off the freeway there is no need to go back thru the gears just use rev match and go from 7th directly to 4th, it's perfectly smooth! That is only going from ~1500 rpm to 3000 rpm. But to each his own.

 

Enjoy your manual shifters and 3rd pedal while you can......they are increasingly obsolete. Virtually all super-cars have done away with them for a reason.