Corvette Grand Sport Coupe

Make
Chevrolet
Segment
Coupe

Neither GM nor Chevrolet have confirmed its existence (big surprise), but there's been plenty of growing evidence that a mid-engined Corvette is happening. Likely to go on sale for the 2019 model year, Car and Driver has posted an interesting article about why it believes Chevrolet won't offer the C8 with a manual transmission. GM is continuing its relationship with transmission supplier Tremec, who currently builds the C7's manual. But Tremec, in more recent years, has heavily invested in dual-clutch transmission development.

It now builds a "family of dual-clutch automatics that can be assembled in rear-drive, all-wheel-drive, and transaxle configurations." Turns out, as C&D uncovered, Tremec engineering documents indicate that "a 9000-rpm maximum input speed and a 664 lb-ft torque capacity" seven-speed dual-clutch very much exists. Because this advanced gearbox will not only meet the performance and engineering requirements of the C8, it'll also help GM to cut down on costs. Why bother developing two transmissions, including a manual, when that Tremec seven-speed dual-clutch will do everything required to make the C8 a world-class high-performance exotic all at once?

If this does indeed turn out to be the case, the 2019 C8 Corvette will be breaking a lot of new ground, and not only because it's engine (a twin-turbo V6?) will rest behind the driver.