The eighth-generation Corvette has been an unmitigated hit, but there is one thing missing.
All versions of the mid-engine car are equipped with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and a stick-shift manual transmission has never been offered.
Chevrolet has now confirmed that the Corvette Grand Sport model will return in 2027, which has had the rumor mill churning out tales that the track-focused variant will offer the three-pedal option.
Transmission supplier Tremec displayed a six-speed manual transmission at the 2025 SEMA Show that fit the Corvette’s mounting points and looked like an easy drop-in solution. Unfortunately, the men in charge of the car have some bad news for DIY gear change fans.
CLICK TO SEE MORE AMERICAN CARS AND AND RACING NEWS IN YOUR GOOGLE SEARCH RESULTS
Executive Corvette Chief Engineer Tony Roma and Corvette Chief Engineer Josh Holder were at Sebring International Raceway on Saturday, where the 2027 Corvette Grand Sport made its public debut, and addressed the topic while talking to fans.
“Tremec showed something at SEMA last year that I wish they wouldn’t have shown, that is not real,” Roma was captured saying in a video clip posted to Instagram by @wheeler_ .
“We don’t have any plans to talk about a manual transmission, I love manual transmissions, all I can say is our 8-speed DCT is tremendous, it’s awesome, the car is faster and essentially better with the transmission we make.”
Read Also: 2026 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR1X SOLD FOR $365,000
“We are in a for-profit business, we make Corvettes so all you guys can enjoy the affordability and attainability of America’s supercar, but one of the things that makes that true is making good business decisions and, at the end of the seventh-generation lifecycle, the penetration rate of manuals was super low,” Holder added. “The market was voting with their wallets and we didn’t get enough votes.”
While this doesn’t rule out the possibility that Tremec will offer the transmission for custom builds, or that Chevrolet will have a change of heart, Roma and Holder’s statements throw cold water on the hope that it will happen anytime soon.
One thing that is certain, however, is that the 2027 Corvette Grand Sport will be powered by an all-new V8. Chevrolet confirmed that fact and will be releasing the car’s full specifications on March 26, but it is expected to be a 6.7-liter V8 rated at 535 hp. Another recent Instagram report said that Chevy dealers have been told that there will also be a hybrid version called the Grand Sport X that will replace the all-wheel-drive Corvette E-Ray in the lineup with 721 hp total power.
CLICK TO SEE MORE AMERICAN CARS AND AND RACING NEWS IN YOUR SEARCH RESULTS
