Top 5 / Bottom 5: Pros & Cons of the C8 Corvette DCT

A year in, the C8 Corvette’s eight-speed dual-clutch Tremec has its fans and detractors. We look into the pros and cons of the DCT.

One year ago, the first C8 Corvettes finally hit the assembly line. Though most loved seeing a production mid-engine Corvette get the green light at last, a few were concerned about the transmission attached to the LT2 V8. For many manual fans, there was hope such an option would be available. Those hopes were quickly dashed when head engineer Tadge Juechter stated the Tremec eight-speed DCT would be the only transmission available.

Recently, a thread popped up in our Corvette Forum forums regarding the DCT. A C7 owner plans to upgrade to the C8, but isn’t sure if he’ll regret leaving the manual behind. Thus, we’ve decided to look at the five pros of the eight-speed, as well as the five cons.

Pro No. 1: Machines Shift Faster

Once upon a time, autos were sluggish, slushy things. Rowing your own was the better option. That time was back during the Doug Nash era. Now, various autos and DCTs — like the C8 Corvette’s eight-speed DCT — can out-shift you. As Tremec themselves note, the TR-9080 shifts from gear to gear in less than 100 milliseconds without disrupting the torque. And that is important whether you’re doing the quarter-mile, the one-mile, or the stop light.

Con No. 1: The Human Element is Gone

There’s no knob. No handle. Just a few buttons and some paddles. After decades of banging gears through the gate, the DCT does it all. Sure. You still have the wheel, the brake and gas pedals, and the ability to put the car in gear in the first place. Yet, for some, the lack of full engagement is a deal-breaker. It might be for you and the new Corvette order, too.