On Monday, we shared comments straight from the Corvette team that there is no plan for the C8 to receive the manual transmission some fans have been begging for. Specifically, engineers Tony Roma and Josh Holder were responding to speculation that the new 6-speed transaxle that Tremec unveiled at SEMA last fall could wind up as a factory option for the mid-engine Vette. Tremec itself never claimed as much, either, but what made Roma’s comments especially odd was how they cast doubt on the transaxle’s existence at all.
“Tremec showed something at SEMA last year that I wish they wouldn’t have shown, that is not real,” Roma said to a group at the 12 Hours of Sebring last weekend. “So, when people say, ‘But there’s one that’s available,’ there isn’t. It’s not real. We don’t have any plans to talk about a manual transmission.”
When Tremec announced the transaxle in October, it did so with a press release, calling to attention how the new ‘box uses all the same mounting points as the TR-9080 DCT that the C8 already incorporates. “This allows builders to use already available factory Corvette components for easier installation,” the release noted.
Nowhere in the literature did Tremec insinuate that the transaxle was anything more than an aftermarket replacement for the sports car’s stock DCT. Contrary to Roma’s comments, however, it certainly seems like a “real” part—so we asked the transmission specialists to confirm.
“At this time, we do not have any comment to share regarding the statements referenced,” a representative of Tremec’s marketing team said in an email to The Drive. “We respect that our customers and partners are entitled to their own perspectives but unfortunately, we cannot comment at this time.”
There you have it. Future C8 buyers assuredly won’t be able to tick a box for a 6-speed manual transaxle when spec’ing out their sports car, but hopefully, there will soon be an aftermarket option for owners willing to get their (or someone else’s) hands dirty. If anyone out there attempts to swap one into a C8, let us know how it goes.
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