BillY2KFRC

While I personally do get jollies from pressing a clutch pedal, lol, I agree with your assessment. If you asked me a few years ago I'd say if they make it DCT-only I'll never buy another Corvette, blah, blah. But what you have said 100% true. When compared to an M7 with active rev matching, you have simply eliminated the clutch pedal and moved the shift actuator from the center console to the steering wheel. Otherwise, you still have complete and instant control of what gear you are in. Daily driving a GT-R for the past two years has made me a believer; and the newer DCT's like PDK are apparently even better than my car.

Additionally, as cars become stupid fast (i.e., 800hp GT-R's or a stock 720s running 143mph in the 1/4!!!) the DCT becomes more important. If you are bombing a back road or doing a track day in a car like that you really don't miss shifting and rev matching since everything is coming up so fast and you need all of your focus on braking points and turn in. Unless you are Senna and capable of making 2000 shifts a race @ Monaco in a 1000hp turbo MP4/4, haha... but as much as we pretend, we aren't all quite that good at driving. Not to mention the "hot" versions of the C8 will be turbocharged, making the DCT's advantage of no boost loss on shifts even bigger.

However, all of this said, I do hope they make a manual in the C8. I don't believe they will, but they should. Like many people here, 95% of the cars I've owned over the past 20 years have been manual and there is just some unexplainable "fun factor" to rowing gears where you don't actually care if the car is "worse" than a DCT. I sold my LS7 C5Z a few month ago and since then the GT-R has been my only car... I plan to buy a new C7Z Z07/M7 in the spring and CANNOT WAIT to drive a manual again.

I think there is really no "right answer" to this question. For a car enthusiast that loves fast cars and being involved in the experience times are changing very quickly. I do sadly see a point in the near future where the used market will be the only option if you want manual transmission car. I'll enjoy the hell out of these new rocket ships but I can't see a time where I won't have at least one manual car sitting the corner of my garage for those times when I'm in the mood to bang some gears.

JoesC5

There is a little more to driving a manual transmission car then "pumping the clutch pedal" with your left foot.

There is also synchronization of the right foot to control the accelerator pedal, and the synchronization of your right arm/hand to move the shift lever into the right gear, at the right time.

Matt26

People referencing the CAD drawing as evidence that there won't be a manual should consider that there are likely 2 CAD files, 1 for DCT/Auto and another for manual transmissions.

I won't buy a DCT/Auto Corvette.

range96

Let's assume GM will grant your wish and offer a manual in the ME C8. In order to change the gears an elaborate cable driven shifter would have to be employed since the transaxle sits behind the engine. Would you really enjoy a sloppy shifter and all the headaches that goes with cable adjustments?

A DCT can be driven in manual mode where the driver is in command of gear selection. You will only "miss" the clutch pedal. I have seen too many missed shifts by experienced drivers on the track with a manual. I've never done a fatal 3 to 2 shift (instead of 3 to 4), due to high G's, but have seen the results of one of other drivers. Besides, I doubt you can match the gear change speed of DCT by a manual.

I'm OK with the DCT, my only concern is clutch reliability. Let's embrace progress.

Sub Driver

I also had a GTR for some time and it became incredibly boring to drive around. Everyone's opinions will differ but it made me miss a manual transmission, so much so that I sold it. For me, my sports cars are for pleasure and not used as daily drivers. Therefore, I want to have fun and feel in control hence, the need/want for a manual.

MikeG37

I agree that's a possibility, but this IS GM after all.. (Paddles on the steering wheel of a manual shift car )
Can you imagine the cost of a totally separate piece of the car's foundation? The tunnel would most likely be designed for a shift lever and then that area blanked off in cars that wouldn't be using it.
Also the top of the tunnel shown in the CAD runs all the way to the firewall with the mounting points for the lower IP support bar, so that portion wouldn't feasibly be interchangeable.

NY09C6

While it is progress on reduced track times and track safety it's not progress from a fun to drive daily driver standpoint. I bought my car because it's enjoyable to drive. Going back to auto takes away from that experience.

LightningBolt

I'm not trying to outperform anyone. I'm just out to have fun. Driving a car rather than just steering it is part of that equation for me.

WRT embracing technology, driverless electric cars are on the horizon making both the DCT and the driver obsolete. Once that happens, look for human drivers to be banned from public roads as we will be too unpredictable. Let's embrace progress.

No offence intended. I'm just having fun and illustrating a point.

Matt26

Honda does this or did this. I had a Civic that was an automatic back in the late 90's early 2000's and I converted it to a manual transmission car. The holes in the unibody were very much different, so I can see a different piece for a manual transmission being easily used, no matter how large it is.

Suns_PSD

For me, these fast cars are nearly impossible to enjoy on public roads at any sort of 'speed' short of brief bursts, that's why the manual is entertaining. It's mostly when you are going slow that I need that something to make me feel like I'm not in my pickup truck. There is just something fun about pre-selecting, using it to slow down, dropping a gear and manipulating the throttle to hide it cause another hot car is creeping up and you want to be ready, manipulating it for traction (to intentionally lose traction too in tight places), coasting in neutral to hyper-mile, and just generally screwing around.

The track is the one place I think I'd be okay with a DCT, even though I'd still feel more connected in the manual.

I guess if the DCT driven at a high level by say Randy Probst, if the DCT turned out to be like 1.5+ seconds faster around a track, I might have to consider otherwise at that point.

But then Randy was faster at Willow in the manual Camaro than he was in the 10 speed auto so that seems highly unlikely.

spireland

I'll grab one of the last C7s or maybe switch over to Porsche. I just can't do an automatic. I need to be "connected" to the car and using both legs and hands is just what feels right to me. I'd even swap over to a Camaro over a ME vette.

Suns_PSD

Spireland, you know the Camaro is an intriguing package. Outstanding performance, a little back seat action, certainly looks a lot better than a gaudy C7Z, reasonably priced, manual trans, it's got a lot going for it for sure.

m3incorp

OP it sounds like you have made your point of not buying ME "if" it only has DCT without ever having driven one. You can paddle shift a DCT and for some, that is driver involvement. I believe in the driving experience also, but I have driven vehicles with "good" DCT's and they did not disappoint. For many it is not an "either or" situation. I own both manual and auto shift cars and they all serve the purpose for why I bought them. There are some really good DCTs, as well as some manufacturers that didn't do such a good job with them. The same can be said of manual transmissions. Most of us base our opinions on what we have owned or at least driven.......and then there are some that base their opinion on what-ever happens to come to mind. For what it is worth, some manufacturers have dropped their older DCTs for newer automatics.

RapidC84B

m3incorp

I think the original question is if current manual drivers would buy the ME if only offered with DCT. That means that people will answer with their own experience or feeling as to why or why not. For you or I, it may be nothing like the driving experience in a manual.....but that was not the question. Oh wait....maybe I am not understanding your statement at all. are you talking "driving experience" or the actual "mechanical" experience between the two transmissions? If the driver's experience is what you are talking about; it is sort of impossible for someone to decide what is another person's positive driver's experience.

NY09C6

You are 100% correct. I have driven both and a DSG is an automatic from a driving experience standpoint. It is no different from driving an auto with paddle shifters.

RapidC84B

JerriVette

I respectfully disagree...the direct drive connection of the engine to the rear wheels is much more of a direct feel in a dct compared to a torque converter transmission.

The dct on the street feels directly connected to the rear wheels.

So much so for me I would probably buy a manual over a torque converter A10 where as if a dct is made available in the c8 I'd definitely buy the dct.

To each their own of course ...and that's why the manual will be offered in the c8 as 7000 units of manual transmission corvettes each full year of c7 production...

GM is not giving up or even considering failing to attract 7000 potiential buyers of the c8 and will offer the manual transmission you desire and 7000 other auto enthusiasts prefer..

Just like the Porsche Boxster offers both a manual and a pdk and sells way many less vehicles here....and the pricing is about the same to corvette.

m3incorp

Dang it Tool, how dare you like it and not like it. Just kidding.

theanswriz42

Every DCT car I've owned was considerably better than the A8 in my C7. Hell I think the single clutch auto in the R8 sitting in my garage is better than the C7 automatic.