Automatic Z06 coming??
 

According to Corvetteconti's website it is??

Add a Targa and watch sales fly!

Anyone else heard this?

if that's so, i'll trade in my 07 CY lol:thumbs:

If they offered a vert, A6, Z06... that would really be something!

I highly doubt it, but ya never know. :steering: ;)

:willy: :willy:
"NEXT, is an Auto Z06…yep, I said it and not to upset our racing fans out there. I know in my heart an AUTO Z06 will sell off the charts, that is GM does not wait to long to wake up and see the retail opportunity there. The fans would even settle for less 0-60, less top speed all just to say “I too, have a Z06,” the baddest Corvette in the land!"

That's what Rick says, but I hope he's wrong (sorry, Rick). And forget the "targa" top. Why would you throw away the structural rigidity of the current platform? Targas (?), removable tops mean less strength.

If GM came out with a sophisticated auto/manual for the Z06, maybe. Can't see the current A6 fitting the bill.

Smells bad!!

If GM releases this, I know for sure a friend of mine will get one. He was going to settle for a coupe, because he could not get the Z06 in automatic.

It's only a matter of time.

Modern automatics are faster, more consistent, potentially more economical, and require less maintenance than manual trannys.

Manufacture an auto like the A6 and add a bit more snap to the paddle shifts and you can please a good chunk of the manual-or-die crowd who enjoy the perception of power that a manual gives from its combination of accelerator lift and abrupt shifting. They're already superior to SMGs (which, in city traffic, feel like they're being driven by someone who is just learning how to drive stick) for anything but track driving...and what percentage of performance car drivers regularly (or ever) track their car?

Paddle shifts (regardless of the type of transmission they're shifting) are becoming the norm.

I wouldn't be surprised if within 20 years the only cars (with the exception of niche supercars) that won't have an automatic transmission of some type (clutch to clutch, CVT, etc.) as their only transmission will be entry level 4 banger econoboxes.

I personally don't like them, but I can't ignore the trend towards the manual transmissions that are shifter automatically (call them what you want). I could see GM outsourcing a transmission like this for the Z06 to test the waters, and offer to see what the market will bear.

The "paddle" shift automatic available in the base Vettes seems a little too low tech to me for a car in the Z06's class.

... paint it LMB, and it would be perfect! http://i15.tinypic.com/5zbekr7.gif%5B/

:iagree: :thumbs:

So far, Conti's site is the only place I've seen this claim being made.

:iagree: Making a Z06 into some watered down female friendly version will really make the Z seem like a lesser car to me. Keep the Z06 a manual and non-targa for rigidity. Only exception would be a true F1 style gearbox with paddleshift available as a 2nd option to the stick.:ack:

Notice: Neither Ferrari, Dodge Viper, Lambo, or Ford make a automatic in their flag ship performance vehicles. ...for a reason!:nono:No slushboxes allowed! DSG or F1 gear box would be faster and a true 2nd option to a stick in the Z.

:iagree: Cars like the Z06 are supposed to be manual IMO

Warranty costs would kill them.

I agree with the gist of what you're saying....the 'handwriting's on the wall' with respect to the automatic transmission in a high performance 'sports' car.

I do note, however, GM still rates the manual-shift with superior gas mileage as well as superior straight-line performance times. There still exists something more than the "perception" of power and performance with the manual shift...perhaps not for the 'average' driver but it's still there.

I don’t see a huge difference with “maintenance” between the two but reliability may be another issue. Certainly the manual shift has its own quirks and suffers from breakdowns like anything mechanical but it seems to me I read a disproportionate amount of complaints or issues regarding the A6 (not that the forum is truly representative).

Delayed shift problems, TC related issues and potential mechanic problems notwithstanding; the automatic transmission undeniably possesses certain advantages. My main ‘complaint’ about an automatic transmission is that to me, it takes-away a certain level of driver skill I still associate with ‘performance’ driving…going up and down through the gears…rev-matching…double-clutching, etc. To me the driver skill demanded from the manual shift is the ‘fun factor’ that tips the scale in favor of the manual shift.

I will, however, admit to a certain amount of envy and excitement as I hear a Formula One race car down-shifting hard into a corner. I’ll never say never about an automatic but for now I am happier with a manual shift.

I think that would be a tremendously bad idea. The Z06 is already in the hands of plenty of people who have enough money for one but don't necessarily posses the driving cred to deal with a car like that. I know there are some exceptions on the forum, but generally, if the only reason for avoiding the Z06 is the manual tranny, I doubt you're really a performance driving enthusiast. An auto just might open the floodgates even more. I think cars like the Z should stay what they are, and if that's your thing and you can handle it, go for it. The rest of us on the road would appreciate it if you know your limits, though.

I would get a A6 Z06 in a heartbeat. :yesnod: I prefer the automatic when I autocross. I care about winning. I don't miss a shift in an automatic. ;) With a Z06, I could still race in the SS class. If I mod my '05, I get booted from SS. I'm already at or near the top of SS. With a Z, I'd own it. :yesnod:

I say Chevy should go for it. An A6 would widen the customer base for the Z06, which is money in GM's pocket, and there would be more hi-po Vettes on the street, which is good from any viewpoint. :thumbs:

Maybe Chevy doesnt want to widen its customer base for the ZO6. Why do you think there's a regular vette offered in automatic? The ZO6 is a specialty vehicle not meant for everyone. If you want one, you should know how to drive manual,plain and simple! Personaly, If they offered an auto ZO6, I would feel like my current ZO6 is less of a car. People buy these cars cause the are limited, and dont want everyone else owning them. Its really meant for the enthusiasts, not posers. If you cant handle a manual, or a car with this much power, you're looking for trouble and should not buy one. Automatic ZO6, whats next! A tampon dispensor in the glovebox!

So you're saying that someone like me, with about 1,300 miles of road course experience in a Vette, needs a tampon dispenser? I've had more than my share of manual sports cars. When racing, consistency counts. :flag: I'd take automatic Z06 in a second and I'm pretty sure I'll beat you every lap in your manually shifted one. ;)