Not sure whos seen this whisper rolling around internet/youtube.

I think this would be amazing! We all know the whole only 25% of C7's were manual. BUT, we also know the C8 has made a big swing in the buyer demographic for the Corvette. Another bullet point is knowing the manual and V8 are dying breeds, so being one of very few cars to offer that combo would be great selling point for Corvette. Porsche surely sees the need/market, I saw just within the last week'ish they announced the new upcoming Carrera T will be a manual ONLY car. Another plus for the modding guys, the TCU locked is holding folks back on builds/being able to spin motor higher, wont have that issue with a manual!

I myself would put in order first day available to replace my 24MY if they offered car in manual.

 

Any rumors surrounding a manual in a C8 are 100% discredited -- largely due the the current design of the car. (Never mind poor demand/sales.)

 

There is ABSOLUTELY zero chance of a manual transmission in the C8. This has been repeatedly addressed and confirmed by various Corvette Engineers since inception/production in 2020. In fact, it's LESS than zero chance (if there is such a thing!). GM would NEVER spend the engineering/EPA/safety/production costs for such a low selling car. Period. Especially, since there is still strong demand (although falling, as expected after six (6) model years).

 

Porsche is doing it to continue their strategy of meeting niche demands and charging a premium for it because they know their buyer will cough up the dough. It's about doing something your competitor is not doing and GM is not doing this in the C8.

 

I've always been a manual trans fan. Most of my Corvettes over the years have been manuals, and currently have a manual Tacoma.
However, at some point, manual fanatics have to realize that manual transmission are a thing of the past and there will never be another manual trans Corvette.

As far as HP sportscars go, why would manufacturers offer a transmission that slows the car down?

Besides, US News and World Report did an article several years ago that stated only 18% of American drivers could drive a manual transmission vehicle. That's most likely less than 10% by now.
I believe this % would be higher among Corvette buyers, however certainly not high enough to make a manal C8 or C9 financially feasible for GM.

 

Not a chance!
Of GM doing it or me ever buying one.
As Lindsey Buckingham sings "Never Going Back Again".

 

To me, being a manual transmission fanatic means 100% of your previous Corvettes are manual transmissions, not "most". Also, a manual transmission fanatic doesn't care at all about the fact that a DCT shifts faster, they care about the fun-factor of a manual transmission. Just my opinion of course.

 

The rumor I heard is the Zora will be a manual (or option). I will believe it when I see it. But >$200,000 likely means anything is possible. Imagine the profit margin for Chevy on a $200k+ Zora C8.

 

That would be a wonderful gift for manual transmission fanatics.

 

 

 

I'm sure we will never see anything but the automatic in the C8 due to the development cost outline in the post above.

It is crazy that Cadillac offers a manual but its not available in a Corvette.

 

Transmission shaming!

 

If they had offered a manual initially, I would have gotten one. At this point, they need to leave it alone.

Toyota did this to the Supra and it ruined my buying experience.

Having it as an option in the next gen car would not concern me, because I won't be buying another one.

 

^^^ this is why my next weekend car will be a 911, M4, or Blackwing (god help me if i ever buy a mustang)

 

My C8 is the first non manual sports car I’ve ever owned (one exception) since my first 911 in 1997 (993). I have no regrets and totally enjoy my C8 and will most likely never go back to a manual. Just before purchasing my C8 in 2021, I had a manual 991 and a PDK 991….and I constantly grabbed the PDK 991 keys. I track, go on 300+ mile weekend trips, and drive locally….and the DCT is better (for me) than any of the manuals I’ve owned. Others will prefer only manuals and that’s OK, for me, DCT.

 

Hmm, thought the diehard days that "I'll never buy an "Automatic Vette" were over! Yep EVERY DD I had owned since I built my 1st car a '41 Ford Coupe I stuffed an Olds engine in in 1959 was a standard shift until my 2020 C8. Heck I was enough of a purist I did not have hp robbing AC until I lived with my Black compact Turbo, Pirelli P7 Plus 1 Wheels and Tires etc for 2 years after we moved to SC! Crazy, came home soaking wet in the summer.

Bought my 1st Vette a 1988 mostly to get AC. Funny ONLY 15% of us bought standard shifts that year (Corvette Black Book Info) because it was the exact same price as the slushbox automatic those years! Yep GM stopped making high hp standard trans and it was an old Hot Rodder, Dough Nash that had an old GM 4 speed made with electric OD in the tailshaft. Could get 7 properly spaced gears by pressing the OD button on the shifter and split shifting! For my 1993 Vette GM bought a 6 speed from ZF. My 2008 C6 was a Tremec built 6 speed. Had two C7's with 7 speeds.

Knew the C8 would not have a standard trans from roomers in 2018! Was fearful the GM bean counters would force the 8 or 10 speed slushbox they produced to be made into a transaxle. Thank goodness Tadge convinced them a more expensive, outsourced DCT was needed. Now that we know a Hybrid was developed when the C8 was started (2012) and the leaked info in an article in November 2013 that defined the Performance Hybrid E-Ray also said perhaps all C8's will have to be hybrids!

Yep depends. Right now, as was signed into law April 2022, the average car will require 49 mpg in 2026. That is less than the 54 mpg that was to be required in 2025 from the prior EPA law. That significant increase in mpg was to start in 2017 but was stopped by a Pen. That plan defined the Corvette family and other 2 seat sports cars would have required to obtain 39 mpg (see composite page from that 1174-page plan in Pic below.) That plan said most manufacturers would probably use hybrids to achieve the required mpg. Need a computer controlling shifting to make a high mpg hybrid.

IMO it was no coincidence that Ferrari stopped selling stranded shift cars (even their Front Engine cars) in ~2013 and has produced a number of Performance Hybrids! Just waiting for a government, US, Europe etc to say must have high mpg (all to reduce CO2 emissions.) Then mostly just need software forcing stop/start and only starting the ICE @ ~45 mph in casual driving! We'll see but bottom Line NO Standard Shift Coming! Heck I'm well past needing to stir a stick and would not give up my E-Ray 0 to 60 on 2.1 seconds. Not achievable, even close, with a standard shift!




Even after 60 years with 3 pedals in EVRY DD I would never go back! Need a DCT with computer shifting to get 2.1 seconds 0 to 60.

 

That's likely the same rumor running around about the C8 getting a manual. Just like the C8 was definitely getting an interior change for 2025 or that the ZR1 would never be launched with the existing interior. Just rumors and things people like to spread for click bait.

Let's see. Where can I get that Lambo or Mac or Ferrari mid-engine with a manual? Last time I checked there are like 14 sports cars in total available with a manual transmission in 2024 and the most expensive and quickest car 0-60 was 3.5 seconds when equipped with an extra pedal. All of the others were 4 seconds and above, some as high as 5 seconds. Yes, those are numbers that really drive sales.

 

What's next, rumor of a turbocharged 4 cylinder?

 

To even be technically possible, you'd need one of two things:
1. It could not be a hybrid model as the center tunnel is where the battery goes (so could be a LT2, LT6 or LT7 only variant with manual)
2. GM would have to use some kind of electronic shifter if it was a hybrid model (there are patents out there for this).
Beyond that though, this is not a rumor, it's wishful thinking. I'd absolutely love to have a manual C8 in any form, even if it was a base Stingray only and an option that added $10K to the price, I'd still go for it. But GM has shown exactly ZERO interest in doing a manual, and has repeatedly stated it's just not possible on the C8. I'm sure they've done the analysis on it, and most people will just buy the DCT if there is no manual option. I bet they probably lose less than 3% of buyers for not having a manual option.