Originally Posted by jschindler

See my bold in your reply. Do you really think anyone is going to cross shop $300,000 exotics to a Corvette, now matter how good it is or how it's built? The cars that get cross shopped to the Corvettes are BMW M3/4s, Hellcats, Shelby GT350s, & ZL1 Camaros. Anything else is an outlier. Oh, and all of those cars I just mentioned are still available with manuals.

Originally Posted by jschindler

See my bold in your reply. Do you really think anyone is going to cross shop $300,000 exotics to a Corvette, now matter how good it is or how it's built? The cars that get cross shopped to the Corvettes are BMW M3/4s, Hellcats, Shelby GT350s, & ZL1 Camaros. Anything else is an outlier. Oh, and all of those cars I just mentioned are still available with manuals.

Originally Posted by KenHorse

Good! It'll make my M7 more valuable when I sell it!

Originally Posted by ptalar

I don't know why you guys pine for a manual trans. The only reasons manual trans existed in the first place is because of the natural progression of technology. Manual transmissions were the state of the art when cars were first being sold over a 100 years ago. The automatic trans came out in the late 30s, 40s. So the technology transition began from manual to auto. A lot of us mature guys over 60 grew up with manuals because we lived through the transition. There were a lot of cars still around with manuals. A lot of us hot rodded these cars when we were young so we grew an attachment to the manual trans. I get where some don't want to give up that feeling and the manual brings you back in the time of our youth and you get to be more engaged with the car. For me, I don't miss the manual. I love the auto. Especially the A8 in the Vette. With manual mode you can paddle shift. This is just evolution of technology. In the case of transmissions the trend is toward making the driver driving experience more comfortable and relaxing as well as providing more driving options like the A8 provides (M w/paddle shift or D mode). I am all for it. I live in the Los Angeles area and having a manual is hell on the freeways. The new conventional 10 spd autos and DCTs are the new state of the art. They provide better shifting, gas mileage and safety. Our kids have never driven a manual for the majority of us. You know what that means. I have to agree with Tadge, the manuals days are numbered.

Originally Posted by ByRiver

Too bad they didn't ask me. I absolutely would not buy a Corvette, or any other sports car if it didn't have a manual transmission. If I was in the market for a new Corvette and there was no manual option, I will be down at the Porsche dealer looking at Carrera's.

Originally Posted by joemessman

Deja vu all over again? I remember when we used to argue auto over manual way back in high school. That was the 60s. It always ended the same way it does here.

Originally Posted by F4Gary

I just hope that if it's auto only, that the C8 has the ability to change gears with the gear selector in addition to the paddle shifters. Paddle shifters are worthless in an autocross. You're turning the steering wheel so much you can't find them. Or make them fixed to the column instead of the wheel. My .02 cents, I have a 72 LT-1, it only came with a 4-speed.

Originally Posted by ptalar

I don't know why you guys pine for a manual trans. The only reasons manual trans existed in the first place is because of the natural progression of technology. Manual transmissions were the state of the art when cars were first being sold over a 100 years ago. The automatic trans came out in the late 30s, 40s. So the technology transition began from manual to auto.

Originally Posted by fumbling

I would agree with this, I have a M7 but if I had to drive auto I would rather manually shift with the gear selector lever although there will probably be times where paddle shifting would be easier. Are there any cars that shift manually with both paddles and the lever?

Originally Posted by mschuyler

Thanks for the history lesson. I'm guessing everyone here is aware of every point you made. It's not exactly new or unknown information. The one sentence you stated, however, is telling. "I don't know why you guys pine for a manual trans." The answer to that is, if you don't understand, than you don't get it. And if you don't get it, there's nothing anyone else can do or say to get you to understand. and it's not worth trying. Why did you waste money on a Corvette? There are people who don't get that either. They don't understand why you can't be satisfied with a Honda Civic. Why do you want to spend tree or four ties as much money for a Corvette that holds only two people? How utterly absurd!

Originally Posted by zzrider

I can confidently say I would never buy a Corvette or any sports car without a manual tranny. An auto is an absolute dealbreaker. For me, a key factor in owning a fun car is the engagement in the driving experience you get from shifting. There simply is no substitute and I couldn't care less if an auto is fractionally faster; that clutch pedal and shifter is FUN.

Originally Posted by patentcad

I won't really know how much or if I'll miss the stick until I own an auto C8 for a while, and then it's too late. Oh well. Tech marches on. Somehow I don't think anybody's going to sell their mid-engine C8 for this reason, that would be the automotive equivalent of throwing Jennifer Anniston out of bed for eating crackers.