JoesC5

I wonder what the C7's M7 take rate would be if the A8 had not had so many teething problems? Maybe 15% or even 10%, instead of 23%? It is possible that people that wanted a C7 decided to settle for the M7 even if they preferred the automatic, but were afraid to own an A8 after the warranty runs out, so they purchased a M7 instead of the A8..

I wonder what the 2019 C7's sales would be if the A8 had not had so many teething problems. Maybe more than 10,000 annually?

Atari_Prime

Automatic Corvettes Sampling
1953 100% (315 of 315)
1958 59% (5404 of 9168)
1962 22% (3213 of 14531)
1967 12% (2748 of 22940)
1975 74% (28473 of 38465)
1982 100% (25,407 of 25,407)
1984 88% (45104 of 51547)
1994 74% (17318 of 23330)
1997 71% (6943 of 9752)
2005 60% (22380 of 37372)
2008 54% (19136 of 35310)

F4 Phantom

100%!

Foosh

As do I.

mb1

I had a GS-R for over nine years and agree. I love my E92 M3 with its DCT but I do still miss a manual. Almost bought a C7 7MT but held off.

It would have been nice (we don’t know yet but making assumptions) if they brought out the base car with the LT2 and a manual and left the DCT for the DOHC car.

Even with only 24 or so percent, it’s still a relevant number of cars especially in terms of volume compared to competitors. GM is making a mistake in my opinion. I’m sure others will disagree and that’s okay.

jefnvk

Heh, and I can't wait for DCT to trickle down to the cars I am buying new at this point in my life (or to get to the income bracket to afford the level of cars where DCTs are regularly offered at)! Maybe I'll change my mind at some point, but the amount of time I spend cursing the third pedal in stop-and-go on the highway makes me think I probably wont.

I guess what I am trying to understand is how many people prefer manuals for the pure joy of shifting gears, versus those who prefer them for the utility and performance over the traditional TC autos. The former, like yourself, are indeed going to be stalwarts, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The percentage of the latter, IMO, is going to be what determines how long the traditional manual necessitating multiple transmission options can last. I do also think that if you are going to such a radical change, now with the full platform change is the time to do it, or wait until the next redesign.

Foosh

I'm predicting here and now, that one of the most common thread topics a year or two from now will be either how disappointing the DCT is in the new C8, how much certain folks wished they had a manual, along with myriad other complaints, such as it's very "jerky.". Porsche spent years perfecting the PDK, and to expect the new Tremec DCT to be as refined is just not realistic.

If it's DCT only, which I expect it to be in year 1, I'd bet a sizable amount that the blowback will be significant. BMW and Porsche learned that lesson, and Jaguar felt compelled to offer a manual in MY3 in the F-Type V6 for the same blowback reasons. The Tremec M7 didn't work in F-Type platform, so they only offered it in the V6. Even so, it had a lot of takers in a car that doesn't sell all that well. For whatever reasons, there are a lot of folks who just want manuals in sports cars, but not in anything else.

mb1

I agree that getting the programming right on a DCT is critical and I don’t expect it to be nailed in year one. And carrying over the 7 speed would solve a lot of concerns for me that for sure.

Skid Row Joe

23% is probably high because some of us that were waiting to buy a new C8, feared missing out on a new Corvette manual transmission. Two things; I've only bought new Corvettes, and the only reason I bought a new C7, was because it was a manual transmission. You're underestimating the thousands of us that bought new Corvettes,, based strictly on them being manual transmission. You probably don't care what transmission the used Corvette you buy has. Myself? I don't buy 20+ year old Corvettes, and I certainly wouldn't buy C4-C6es. I've stated before that I'm good with my C7, M7 for several years to come. Given that I buy only new at a steep discount, I won't be buying the first batch C8
manual transmissions released at MSRP.



..

Skid Row Joe

ZERO - in my case.

..As I just restated ^^^^ last post; the ONLY reason why I bought a new Corvette C7, was because I could buy it with a manual transmission. I wouldn't have bought one otherwise. The C7 M7 new take rate may have been high because of people like me, that A) only buy new Corvettes, and B) will only buy a manual transmission Corvette.

ssidekickbp

I can't wait to see what the numbers WILL prove.

The die hards like myself will not compromise, so those sales will be lost.

I'm actually hoping they will realize it and bring it back if so. So I'm in no rush.

NOTHING would **** me off more then to
"compromise" or " just deal with it" as some have stated in this thread, drop that kinda money on a car only to find out later that what I really wanted would become available after.

This will be interesting for sure.

UsernameProtected

I agree. I've only driven my C7 18k miles in the last three years, and it's my DD, so I can hold out for a LONG time...maybe even long enough that I will become one of those who have to drive an automatic because they have physical limitations.

Wanting what you already have is a nice position to be in.

Skid Row Joe

I read everything that Foosh has written on the subject of him buying two automatic performance cars where he didn't enjoy the automatic.

..Not once did I ever consider buying a new C7, that wasn't a manual transmission.

..You will never like what you don't like. Lesson learned.

fumbling

That's me, didn't want to take the chance the C8 wouldn't have a manual transmission so bought the C7 M7 that would be the last Corvette I have unless the C8 had a manual transmission. I bought at a nice 12% discount but wouldn't mind buying the C8 at MSRP if it had an M7.

Zora_Vette

I think it is safe to say at this point that the C8 will be DCT only. Every C8 video, we hear a DCT. Also in the leaked interior pics, there is clearly no room for a manual in the console. There is no way GM is making an entirely different center console, think about it... they were too cheap to use a different steering wheel without paddles on the M7 C7!!

Foosh

It made sense to use the same steering wheel using the paddles for auto-rev-match. There is a reason Corvette beats all the comparable competition on price, and that is a good thing in my view.

Zora_Vette

But it would be so much easier to just use a button or something like that for the rev match or just not have it at all. Not to mention it would actually cost them LESS to use a different steering wheel without the paddles.

Foosh

I disagree, much easier and more cost effective to use the same paddles and wheel for A8 shifting and M7 ARM. It would be ridiculous and more costly to add an extra button somewhere else for the M7.

It doesn't sound like you realize that the paddles just screw on and off. I bought a used A8 flat bottom wheel for my 14 M7, which came only with round wheels, and just swapped the A8 paddles for Rev Match paddles in about 5 minutes. The paddles are identical except for labeling. You're talking parts that probably cost GM maybe 25 cents each, and all they have to do is paint different labels. I can't fathom why you think adding a new button just for M7 is more cost-effective, when they can just use the same steering wheel and paddles for all cars.

Suggesting not having an ARM switch at all would make a lot of folks unhappy because some like to continue to practice the old school way and turn it off, with the paddles, of course. I do.

Zora_Vette

Since you took it way out of context, and decided to literally break it down and nitpick what I said, I'm going to remind you that my point was that GM cost cuts over little paddles on a steering wheel, they're not going to make an entirely different center console for a manual, which is what they would have to do in order to have said manual. The car will be DCT only. Unless they have a manual as like a $1500 option. Which would be awesome. But not likely

mschuyler

It wouldn't be less; it would be more. Now they get by with a single steering wheel with the same paddles. One choice. Your way would require two different steering wheels, one with paddles and one without. Now, which one do you need again? Two choices. Two orders with fewer units per order equals greater cost.