Buyers of the 2014 Corvette Stingray can’t get enough of the seven-speed manual transmission and optional Z51 performance package, since a surprising 40 percent of C7 Corvette buyers have opted for the seven-speed manual gearbox, with the rest opting for the six-speed automatic, The General revealed to Edmunds.
To note, the 2015 Corvette Stingray will ditch the six-speed automatic for an eight-speed unit. The  fast-shifting, new automatic gearbox, which will be a detuned variant of the new heavy-duty 8L90 transmission found in the upcoming 2015 Corvette Z06, could entice more customers away from the row-it-yourself option.
In addition, 55 percent of Corvette Stingray buyers have opted for the Z51 Performance Package, which includes larger 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels and tires, larger slotted brake rotors, an electronic limited slip differential, unique chassis tuning, and Magnetic Ride Control.
Chevrolet spokesperson Monte Doran also told Edmunds that the Corvette Stingray is “in short supply”; GM currently has a 27-day supply of the sports car on hand, which is significantly below the industry average. So far, 19,915 2014 Corvette Stingrays have been sold since the car’s launch last year.
Comments
I wonder if numbers will stay this high once the new 8 speed comes out next MY
They will remain strong in a car like this as this is where the people who still know how to drive one live.
The 8 speed will just make the automatic cars a little more enjoyable and may even be faster if the latest trends stay as they are. But those who want a stick will still buy them even if they are a 10th or two off.
If anything the lack of sticks in many sports cars may help Chevy capitalize on having one as long as they can continue to meet emissions.
why doesn’t Chevrolet produce a dual clutch manual transmission? Isn’t it time to get with the program?!
It has been explained before by Tadge Juechter, he hasn’t found a dual-clutch able to handle the LT1’s torque and still fit into the available space in the transaxle.
Also, having a torque-converter automatic helps smooth the cylinder-deactivation system. And with the engine’s wide torque band.
Now add in the fact that the new 8 speed is here and is stronger and faster shifting than the PDK so mission accomplished.
Add to this I just read the new Z06 Auto is faster by a little over the manual just as the Camaro is.
They do offer a duel disc in the manual for better grip and less rotating mass.
The Corvette has to deal with deactivation of the cylinders where many others do not since they relay on smaller engines. In the end the performance is there even if it is not doing it the same way as everyone else. But that has always been a Corvette hallmark.
Also note cost and weight play a part here too.
“why doesn’t Chevrolet produce a dual clutch manual transmission? Isn’t it time to get with the program?!”
It is, and the more and more I read about the blindingly fast shift speeds of DCT’s, the less interest I have in a slower performing manuals.
The Corvette needs to stay on the technological cutting edge and not risk having its world-renown performance being undermined by a slower manual. Its blisteringly fast and visceral performance should not be hamstrung by a manual that ultimately makes the car perform worse than an automatic. It’s not like it was 30 years ago when automatics were ponderous and slow to shift; today its the other way around where manuals are holding back the performance potential of a sports car.
The forthcoming 8-speed will be faster and more precise than any manual, but it won’t be as fast as a DCT; a part where the Corvette will be looked down upon in the future.
@Grawdaddy Of course you wouldn’t understand anything about fun or how appealing it is to the opposite sex to be able to drive a manual in a world where the streets are cluttered with sissies that barely know how to put their cars in drive. Plus a DSG can’t fit the specifications of a corvette, a car that probably has more parts specifically designed for it than many other competitors. At the same time you failed to realize that the 8-speed will shift much faster than even Porsche’s PDK, which is seen as the fastest shifting transmission of its kind.
I don’t “fail” to realize anything about manuals; they are QUANTIFIABLY slower than automatics and DCT’s.
This has nothing to do with driving on the road among other drivers. It’s about getting the most performance out of the Corvette without any compromises or shortcomings. The Corvette wasn’t any better performing with pop-up headlights, so GM scrapped them for aerodynamic fixed lights. The Corvette wasn’t handling any better with the transmission ahead of the driver, so GM moved it to the rear for better weight distribution. The Corvette wasn’t any better performing with all fibre-glass panels, so GM is gradually replacing them with lighter carbon fibre panels. Consistently, GM is finding performance shortcomings and weeding them out of the Corvette so that each MY and successive generation is quantifiably better than the last.
The Corvette is both GM’s technological test bed and showcase. There is no room or reason to cling onto outdated and outmoded technology that limits the Corvettes potential. Perhaps the new 8-speed will blow my mind and give others a second thought about what they thought about ‘traditional automatics’, but until then GM is playing catch up.
If it was all about performance numbers….you do realise that GM would’ve or could’ve scrapped automatic corvettes LONG time ago…as those older models “hindered” the overall performance of the vette. But obviously that wasn’t the case……as there were many who purchased automatic vettes. Well you can say the same here is applying with the 7-speed manuals…..there’s obviously still a market for them. Oh and btw….if you look around at OTHER vehicles that offer both…automatics AREN’T always FASTER then manual equiped versions.
Guys there is room for both right now and time we may lose the manual anyways due to emissions. It is just so damn hard to get them to pass anymore. Enjoy them while you have them.
Ferrari did not lose the gated shifter just for fun.
GM is trying to offer all things to all buyers so there is no excuse of not buying a Corvette. They had people who wanted a convertible but wanted a Z06 wit no wiggle. Well they did it this time to add more potential buyers with no loss of performance.
Now we get some who want AWD but then it adds weight and expense to a car that is trying to remain somewhat affordable. One day they may add the options but they could just as easily add a traction control system like the McLaren.
Building a Sports Car like the Veyron is easy. At that price point you can put what ever you like on it. But at $50K you need to be careful for what you choose to put on the car and not price it out of the market.
The Corvette has always been a great car for the money and now it is just a great car that is even better because of the price.
I like my M7 Stingray…sometimes I sit in the car without the motor running, and just run through the gears….I think it’s a guy thing.
Some have been know to play with their sticks.
I think it best if you kept this to yourself.
I would still prefer a manual transmission, even if GM offers 10 speed automatic with dual clutch. There is no fun in automatic whatsoever!