Tremec Civilly Disagrees With Team Corvette Regarding Its 6-Speed Manual Transaxle Being ‘Unreal’
General Motors
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On Monday, we relayed comments directly from the Corvette team regarding the absence of any plans for the C8 to feature the manual transmission that many enthusiasts have requested. Engineers Tony Roma and Josh Holder addressed speculation that Tremec's new 6-speed transaxle, revealed at SEMA last autumn, could potentially be a factory option for the mid-engine Corvette. Tremec itself had not claimed this, but Roma’s remarks were particularly surprising as they seemed to question the transaxle's very existence.
“Tremec showcased something at SEMA last year that I wish they hadn’t, which isn’t real,” Roma stated 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 discuss a manual transmission.”
When Tremec announced the transaxle in October, they did so through a press release, highlighting that the new unit utilizes all the same mounting points as the TR-9080 DCT already used in the C8. “This enables builders to use existing factory Corvette parts for simpler installation,” the release mentioned.
Tremec’s six-speed manual transaxle. Tremec
Nowhere in the provided materials did Tremec suggest that the transaxle was anything other than a replacement for the sports car's standard DCT. Despite Roma’s statements, it certainly appears to be a “real” part, prompting us to seek confirmation from the transmission specialists.
“At this time, we do not have any comments to share regarding the statements mentioned,” a representative from Tremec's marketing team stated in an email to The Drive. “We respect that our customers and partners are entitled to their own views, but unfortunately, we cannot comment further at this moment.”
So there you have it. Future C8 owners will not have the option to select a 6-speed manual transaxle when configuring their sports car, though hopefully, an aftermarket solution will become available for those willing to tackle the installation themselves. If anyone attempts to install one in a C8, please let us know how it turns out.
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Tremec Civilly Disagrees With Team Corvette Regarding Its 6-Speed Manual Transaxle Being ‘Unreal’
"The Corvette's chief engineer mentioned recently that Tremec presented something at SEMA last year that they shouldn't have revealed, as it is not genuine."