The Real Reason Why There is No Place for a Manual Option in New Corvette C8
Only a few years ago it would have been difficult to imagine that the new Corvette model can be released without a manual transmission option. But to the surprise of numerous Corvette fans, the recent presentation of the 2020 Stingray model proved the sad fact that manual transmissions less and less frequently can be found on new models, even in the sports car segment. This trend is based on numerous factors, but the main reason has nothing to do with technical obsoleteness of manuals compared to modern automatics.
To clarify things with the Corvette C8 model,
we have to take a closer look at the recent interview of Tadge Juechter, the
lead engineer of Corvette, and his colleague Ed Piatek.
First of all, Mr. Juechter pointed out that the Corvette development team decided not to compromise the structural integrity of the central tunnel, as it would have a negative impact on the structural efficiency of the C8 design. Secondly, they just could not deny the fact that performance characteristics of the dual-clutch transmission (DCT) provided by Tremec significantly surpassed manual analogs. The company claims that the new Corvette can accelerate up to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds. Undoubtedly, it required much effort investment from the team of Corvette to incorporate the DCT unit (the 1-st in its history) in the Corvette design, but when looking at the result of their efforts we can say that it was worth it.
2020 Chevy C8 Corvette
Stingray
But eventually, both interviewees had to admit
that the main factor against the manual option in the 2020 Corvette model was a
low demand for manual models on the American market. For example, the take rate
for the previous Corvette version C7 equipped with the manual gearbox had
plummeted from 50% (during the 1-st year of production in 2013-14) to only 20%
in more recent times. Such unstable demand conditions seem too risky even for
Corvette.
But maybe it is too early to say good bye to
prospects of the manual option in the new Corvette?
Journalists of the popular magazine Motor Trend are sure that GM has the technical capability to design the manually shifted Corvette C8. Thanks to existing GM technologies, Chevrolet can equip the C8 model with so-called “virtual” manual gearbox. The thing is that this technology includes the use of an electronic clutch which can operate in pair with the existing DCT unit.
Image from GM’s patent
application for “Clutch-by-Wire System”
The electronic clutch would simulate the operation of a mechanical one, thus drivers would use the clutch shift gears as if driving a real manual car. This “virtual” manual solution would be less expensive to implement in practice than a real manual gearbox, and at the same time it can become some kind of a compromise for fans of manual Corvettes.
