6AT vs new 8AT
 

New to the Corvette world and highly considering either a 2014 or a 2015 Z51 automatic. I'm definitely not interested in a manual....my question is.....does anyone have direct knowledge just how good the new 8 speed auto will be in the 2015 models? I come from a fantastic 8 speed auto in my BMW and the shifts are literally as fast as a DCT....great all around tranny both for performance and fuel economy. I've heard mixed reviews about the current 6 speed....so I'd rather wait if possible for the 8AT. Anyone have better knowledge on this?

On a related note.....if I were to order a 2015 today.....what is the approx. wait time on these?

Details here

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c7-g...-corvette.html

If you were to order one, nobody knows when you will get it as your dealership may not have allocation, and depending on your build, it is likely you could get your car anytime between end of SEPT to LATE NOV

I was in the same boat, so I shopped around and found some honest dealers, ordered a 2014 exactly the way I wanted.

Many dealers still have 14 in stock, depending on whether u want a coupe or convertible you can get a discount now.

Details here

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c7-g...-corvette.html

If you were to order one, nobody knows when you will get it as your dealership may not have allocation, and depending on your build, it is likely you could get your car anytime between end of SEPT to LATE NOV

I was in the same boat, so I shopped around and found some honest dealers, ordered a 2014 exactly the way I wanted.

Many dealers still have 14 in stock, depending on whether u want a coupe or convertible you can get a discount now.

If you have the 8 spd in your BMW, this is very similar. It is being put in not just the corvette but the whole GM line. It is being added as it can increase the CAFE avg mpg being computer controlled and lowering cruise rpm. A lot of people think it's for perf, it's not, it's a fuel thing.

And the 8 spds shift fast as they are computer controlled and shorter gears, the downside for some is they are always shifting......

Thanks for the quick replies!

Glen:

For 2015 only the Corvette is getting the 8 Speed, the only other car in the line up that has a 8 Speed is the CTS sedan, that 8 Speed is not a GM product. I will assume 2016 models will have the 8 Speed across the board.

read closer....I never said for 15, but the 8 speed is not being developed just for the vette....it is a CAFE thing....

The MPG gain you'll get from the A6 to the A8 will be negligible.

So it's completely up to you if you want to get a '14 on close out or wait 6 months or longer for a '15.

I don't consider at least 1 mpg in the highway test to be "negligible" and GM certainly does not when the A8 starts spreading out across the product lines... ..CAFE requirements are gonna get real nasty in the next 10 years and everything helps...

A 1 MPG gain by the A8 can easily be made up by the A6 and more conscious driving habits.

At 55, my A6 consistently delivers 33+ MPG. IF the A8 can manage 34 MPG, an extra 1 MPG isn't much.

nobody is talking about you....a 1 mpg on the EPA circuit is worth millions of $ when multiplied by the amount of cars that get the increase.......

I personally started the thread because, beyond the mpg gains, the 8AT will be a much more sophisticated, faster shifting tranny. Like I mentioned previously, if it shifts like my BMW 8AT, the shifts are lightening quick. I've heard the opposite about the current 6AT. Worth waiting for if you want an auto...

Wow, somebody missed their nap.

Maybe but Glen e's point is valid.

And more important, based in reality.

Laborsmith