Corvette Generations:

C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8

Corvette: Year by Year

1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963
1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

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Slideshow

2016 Corvette C7:
Eight Speed Automatic, Curb Cameras

2016 Chevrolet Corvette C7 Automatic Transmission

Chevrolet Corvette C7 Automatic Transmission

Eight Speeds, No Waiting

Our test car came with the $1,725.00 Eight Speed Paddle Shift Automatic Transmission. Introduced in the 2015 Corvette, it represents a significant advance in the transmission state of the art. GM claims an under 3.7 second 0 to 60 mph time verses 3.8 for the seven speed manual. Fuel economy is just about even in the manual - automatic transmission debate; both are EPA rated at 29 mpg highway while the manual edges out the automatic 17 mpg to 16 mpg for city driving.

So how does the Eight Speed Automatic fare? To be honest, your author is an unabashed, proud and die hard manual transmission fanboy. All of the cars I have ever bought, including the three I own now, have manual transmissions. And given the choice, a Corvette purchase would continue that tradition.

That said, the Hydra-Matic Eight Speed RWD Automatic Transaxle offered in the 2016 Corvette is an amazing unit. Shifts, which are about 500 RPM apart, are smooth; unless you are paying attention you barely know they are occurring. Automatic equipped Corvettes are also quicker due to the many technological improvements. They shift faster than even the best manual transmission drivers and in the Corvette world, faster is better. Maybe there is a reason why 63% of the 2014 Corvettes were automatic?

For those who insist on having it both ways, it is pointed out that there is a manual transmission mode via the paddle shifters. That's true, but after using them for a while our reaction was "why bother" and we just left the shifter in automatic mode.

Chevrolet Corvette C7 GM Eight Speed Automatic Transmission

Above: Corvette C7 Hydra-Matic 8L90 Eight Speed RWD Automatic Transaxle. Below: David Kimble cutaway illustration.

Chevrolet Corvette C7 GM Eight Speed Automatic Transmission, David Kimble Illustration

There is a practical reason behind an eight speed transmission: fuel economy. The 2016 Corvette is rated at 29 mpg while highway cruising. Considering that it features a 460 horsepower engine and it does NOT pay a gas guzzler tax - a point of pride for the GM engineering staff - and you can see the benefits. Highway cruising is done at a lethargic 1,500 RPM. If you find the need to accelerate quickly to pass for example, mashing down on the throttle causes the transmission to shift down a couple of gears or so. The problem is solved quickly and with little drama save for the opening up of the multi-mode performance exhaust ($1,195.00).

Click here for 2016 Chevrolet Corvette slideshow

Curb View Cameras

New for 2016 and part of the 2LT ($4,455.00) and 3LT ($9,745.00) trim levels is the curb view cameras, similar to a rear view camera for the front. Two are mounted in the front grill (above left) and their images are on the center console screen when the Corvette is being parked. The two camera views (above right) are on the bottom of the screen. At the top is a composite of the two images with superimposed green, yellow and red warning lines to guide the driver. Considering that the view forward is limited and the length of the hood, the feature comes in handy.

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