No Manual Transmission For The 2020 C8 Corvette Confirmed By GM Engineer Tadge Juechter

For those of you hoping to get a chance at having a manual gearbox available for the new 2020 C8 Corvette, it looks like all hope is lost. Tadge Juechter has gone on record and given a few reasons as to why the stick shift will not be finding its way into a C8 Corvette. Juechter says only about 15 percent of C7 Corvettes were optioned with the 7-speed manual. Tadge stated “Every year it goes down, down, down, down.”

Why This Is A Big Deal?

For some this is a huge deal, for others it doesn't matter. As with anything in life, people have their preferences and as long as the manual option isn't your "cup of tea" then losing it as an option isn't going to affect you. However, those who really prefer the driving experience with a manual (such as myself) don't like to hear this kind of news. I was holding on to the last shred of hope that GM would find a way to make a manual transmission happen in this new C8 Corvette but it seems all hope is lost.

We are rapidly approaching a future where dual clutch transmissions are king and the manual gearbox is an option no longer. I was hoping that future would be a little longer delayed but it's already arrived. Juechter obviously knows Corvette and he undoubtedly knows the customers that buy Corvette so when he says the manual is not going to be an option due to low take rate in the past, then I believe him.

“It’s a dying business,” Tadge said. “The people who make a living building manual transmissions, they see that it’s not a bright future for them. It’s low volume, very expensive. The reason is it’s a low-volume industry. That industry is dying, building manual transmissions.”

Of course, with the new 8 speed DCT that propels this rocket known as the C8 Corvette into the 60mph range in less than 3 seconds, the manual won't be missed by most. Still I'm sad to see it go and while I mourn the loss, I'm excited for the future of mind bendingly fast Corvettes.

Also watch The C8 Corvette coupe and spyder style convertible are closer to being available than you think, as well as Click To Subscribe Torque News Youtube Channel for Daily News on Automotive Industry.

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Justin Nohe can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube.