Never Say Never

The entire point of the poll. Now hopefully some will get their head out of the clouds and open their eyes. The member above clearly would purchase a more expensive Chevrolet if it was offered.

Silver05GTO

The question for me is which kind of auto would be added. If your talking about the 6-speed auto currently found in the GS/CTS-V/ etc.......what a step backwards that would be for a track inspired Corvette.

It would have to be something along the lines of what the Nissan GT-R/Ferrari/Porsche PDK transmissons offer ie: high tech fully modern and great for the track. The 6-speed auto is nothing more then the old 4-speed with a couple more gears....slushbox FTL

S'vette

I wish they would do the new vette with a DSG, they are awesome.

Never Say Never

Mercedes Planning 9-Speed Automatic Transmission | AutoGuide.com NewsJul 19, 2010 ... When Mercedes introduced its 7-speed transmission, the German automaker launched a new era of multi-geared auto-boxes with all other luxury ...
http://www.autoguide.com/...news/......eed-automatic- transmission.html - Cached

ZF 8-Speed Automatic Transmission Named 2010 Automotive News PACE ... 15 posts - 11 authors - Last post: Nov 8, 2009
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Monts

I voted yes, but only if the automatic included paddle shifters. I love being able to squeeze off gear changes while keeping both hands on the wheel!

Face it, the world is going to the paddles, why ignore the future and miss such a large market segment.

AirBusPilot

The auto in the vette already has "paddle shifters" on the steering wheel, but I think what you are talking about is what's available on the GTR, Lambo, Ferrair, BMW, etc, which are actually manual transmissions that are electronically controlled and you can use paddle like shifters on the steering wheel.

I agree, that is the future and it will be good.

Purdue

I would be VERY surprised if GM launched the C7 with the same optional automatic trans used today.

Tommy D

Hopefully some of the Corvette engineers are reading the aforementioned and this thread

Note: the poll results are still very close

LBear

Over 161 (51%) of the people voted YES. That is very, very significant and it shows that the Corvette community wants a Z06 automatic. GM does take notice of these things and I would not be one bit surprised to see the future Z06 (C7) carry an automatic transmission option.

Unfortunately this would lead some "Z06 must have a manual only" people to commit Hara-Kiri. GM is getting ready for some people from this forum to lose their minds once GM announces that the Z06 will have an auto trans option.

LFZ will lose his mind and go bezerk:

The NNIAL8R

Take a wild guess as to how I voted ...Hint...only one of my black beauties has a stick....and it wasnt by choice

KneeDragr

Will you please commit Hara-Kiri if they dont?

Actually just do it either way, lol.

LFZ

If the C7 Z has an automatic option, it will have to be a sequential geared tranny, which is going to be just fine with me, so long is it is not the current paddle-shift A6 that is offered now.

As for the current Z06, I still stand by the car's purpose and design, and not having an automatic offered, gives the Z its recognition for being a true "track inspired" sports car.

Lbear...I ain't mad....
And I do understand what you want, but GM as well as other car manufacturers doesn't always give the people what they want, because it could potentially take away sales from other models. I wonder how sales of the base and GS would have been affected if GM had offered the Z06 with an automatic? Would selling more Z06s take away from the car's status and making it more of an average corvette?

One could also wonder how the reputation of the Z06 would have been affected as well, because the automatic would have made it a heavier and slower car.

IMO, GM made a smart move by not giving the Z06 the option of the current A6 GM offers.

JoesC5

You are assuming that if GM offered its customers more options that total sales would not increase, but instead, those people would just not purchase another model already offered. It might be just possible that there are people that would not purchase a Corvette if they wanted a Z06 but, for any reason, would not buy a car with a manual transmission. Those people might not "settle" for a Grand Sport, but instead purchase other car brand, or just not purchase at all.


If your logic was absolute, then GM would sell just as many Corvettes if they only offered one model vs offering a half dozen models.

How many people would have purchased a Corvette if only a base coupe with no options were offered. If you wanted a loaded convertible, would you have then purchased another brand that offered what you want, or just settled for the Corvette base coupe, and call it a day.

redzone

While I agree with what you've said,at the end of the day GM is in the business of making money. Nothing more,nothing less. I'm sure this has been discussed at GM & they've decided the costs aren't worth it.

LFZ

You could think of it as broad or narrow as you want...
Offering a variety of models when it comes to the Corvette lineup has been a tradition for GM that has obviously worked. One wants a Z06, but doesn't want to deal with shifting gears, so he/she will look elsewhere and this is where base and GS sales come into play.

Maybe it's strategy, maybe it's not....and of course, how many people that voted "Yes," still bought a base or GS simply because they settled? Their settlment still gave GM the sale and it still shows that the Z06 does not need to be offered with current available automatic tranny.

GM does somewhat listen to what the customer wants....Look at the GS and Z07 offered now. Perhaps, 2012 will give the Z06 an automatic option, and so follows the ZR1. I am not sure if GM is willing to compromise performance for demands when it comes to the Z06/ZR1 models. I hope not, but who knows?

You are right...it really doesn't matter whether GM offers the A6 in a Z06, because I as well as others, simply would not check that box on the option list.

LFZ

Chemdawg99

As to the OPs question, I would have to say no. Additionally, I would have to say that GM ever making an auto Z06 would be very remote. GM could accomplish the same thing by putting an LS7 in a Grand Sport and thus satify the buyer who isn't going to necessarily race the car and wants a cruiser with a removable roof.

AirBusPilot

At most the poll shows that some people that bought a GS/base would have bought a Z06 if it was an auto. So that means that it robs sales from the GS/base. The GS, particularly, has a higher profit margin (IMO), and the Z06 less so. Not much of a great idea for GM, if true.

The poll, of course, is bogus and means nothing (other than people day dreaming, or just f'ng with the poll).

Never Say Never (rest his poor soul) was saying what an "embarrassment" the Z06 was. Adding an automatic would only further embarrass the car, then, right Never Say Never?

If you agree with me, just don't post anything else, NSN.

FNBADAZ06

I haven't read all 12 pages of the thread, but I'm hoping someone has made the distinction of a traditional 6 speed "automatic" transmission as in the 6L80's that uses a convertor, and the sequintal 6 speed dual clutch computer controlled manual transmissions that are generally controlled via steering wheel paddles and/or floor mounted shifter, ala Ferrari, GT-R, etc.

I'm guessing that a dual clutch manual 6 speed would add 6-10K to the price of the car.
I would like to see that type of sequintial transmission available as an option on the Z06/ZR1, but not a traditional automatic "slushbox" transmission. For those who wish that type of tranny option, but the power of the LS7/LS9 powered cars, can always opt to purchase a Callaway optioned GS car.

AirBusPilot

Yep, I have repeatedly. And I agree.