Flyboy22

Thanks to being on their waiting list for a Z06, I had the opportunity to test drive a brand new 2015 Stingray with the A8 at my local dealer.

Disclaimer: I've never driven the C7 A6, and this was only a ~5 mile test drive.

However, my initial reaction was mixed. I'll break it down into Drive & Manual modes.

In Drive, it was smooth and comfortable in regular driving--perfectly well mannered and easy to drive. When you step on the gas, it downshifts and goes. Shifts are very quick, BUT... Shifts lack hardly any tactile feel. In other words, they are almost a non-event. Acceleration continues virtually uninterrupted. While this sounds awesome, in a way it isn't. The accelerator doesn't "feel" directly connected to the car. Intuitively knowing what gear you are in was difficult. Ultimately, the little thrill than happens when gears shift under WOT was just missing.

In Manual paddle-shift mode, I found the A8 had a couple faults. (NOTE: I did some shifting in both Sport & Track modes. Didn't even mess with Touring) First, 8 speeds is a lot. It's easy to get lost in them, particularly if you aren't pushing it to redline. I found myself cycling through them up and down hunting for the best gear several times. Granted, getting to the know the transmission will reduce this "first time" feeling. Still, I think it will be a lot of clicking. Second, the shift time from paddle depress to gear change just isn't fast enough to be fun. There most definitely IS a delay, and I feel this delay is very pronounced under less than WOT or medium RPM. For example, medium throttle to 4K followed by a shift up resulted in the transmission setting up a comittee meeting, voting, recounting the votes, and finally agreeing to shift. I actually wondered if I had hit the paddle hard enough by the time it shifted. I'm sure I'm exaggerating slightly, but the point is... it's not a Master-Slave relationship between you and the car. It's more like your suggestion is taken under advisement.

Interestingly, that's exactly how the F-22's throttles behave, and I can tell you that your input is EXACTLY that - a suggestion. This relationship is the price you pay for computer wizardry keeping you safe from bad user inputs.

All in all, was it fun? Hell yes! It's a 460HP Stingray! And it was the best automatic transmission I've ever driven. But for me, in the end, it isn't good enough to pass on the manual. The A8 still doesn't have the feel, control, and speed to truly offer the best of both worlds.

So, I ordered an M7 Z06, and am now at 2000! Just try not smoke me too badly if I see you at a stoplight!

LFZ

These types of feedback scare me as I want the A8 but would hate to get it and regret not getting the M7.

Thanks for the feedback btw.

Darius

Good to know as I also ordered the m7. In the end it's still a automatic, which is never much fun.

PushNut

Could you go test drive the M3/4 DCT transmission and give us a honest comparison?
TYIA.

fasttoys

This is one reason I went with the manual in my C7 Z51 & now with my Z06 order yesterday + A8 is on restraint for two+ months. I am not a big torq converter manual guy. After owning many euro cars with dual clutches its hard to go back to a sluggish manual. I test drove two PDK Porsches & a DCT BMW M4 on Saturday before placing my order for my Z (new Cayman-S & 911-S). If the Z had a dual clutch I would have considered it but then again manuals are going away with most auto manufactures. Another thought with 650HP/Toq I think the manual will be more rewarding on the street were my car will spend 90% of its time. IMO with the auto all you do is point and floor it while the manual you will need to learn to control all that power with your feet and hands. IMO get it while you can because when they are gone you will miss it.

fasttoys

Unfortunately the A8 is not going to have the same feel as a DCT or PDK in downshifts and upshifts. Will it or could it be one of the best torq converter automatics You bet. To me its Apples and Oranges..

Read Corvettes A8 road test & details.

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...c_first_drive/

sunsalem

Thanx for the review, Flyboy22.

I'm hoping the Z06 application/version may address some of the issues you bring up...

Ltrain925

I haven't driven the new stingray but I have taken my fathers 2013 e92 m3 DCT to Laguna seca. while the up shifts were perfect and always crisp, the downshifts had a delay. How much? Well that's hard for me to say because it's the only dct iv ever driven but it was significant enough for me to notice it. There was a delay between the paddle and the actual shift. Other than that the m3 is amazing, this slight delay wouldn't keep me from buying one it was very very slight. Keep in mind I was pushing this car as hard as I could. And yes it was in m mode and I tweaked every setting still a slight delay on downshifts.

nitrojunky

the f8xM DCTs have addressed this exact concern.

JoesC5

Oh how I wish they had a transmission like in my mom's 1957 Mercury she bought new. It had a mechanical actuated pushbutton control on the left side of the steering column on the dash. You push the button, and it shifted instantaneously, either up or down. No delay and no missed shifts(as with a column or floor mounted shift lever).

BOBSZ06

Yeah those were great.....our `56 Dodge station wagon had that and it was a real joy to shift. Bring back the pushbutton era!

tail_lights

So is there any confirmation that this is the same A8 programming going into the Z06?

From my understanding even the transmissions are a bit different.

sunsalem

I would be surprised if that wasn't the case.

Z06 engine is a different beast.
It stands to reason the drivetrain would be different all the way back.

Callsign_Vega

IMO, unless you are 90 years old there is no reason to pass on the 7-spd manual for a more expensive slush box.

Are people driving Z06's in gridlock traffic every day or something?

tail_lights

Some people (like me) are happy for the option.

I've had a few fairly powerful manuals, I look forward to a powerful automatic now. The 'slushbox' will perform better than 95% of the manual men out there (overall), for 98% of what most will be used for (not HPDE). The remaining people that actually use it at an HPDE might be better off with a manual if the General doesn't completely address the cooling issue. But that is not me. I will have plenty of fun with it canyon carving and the occasional 1/4 mile blast

To each their own

JerriVette

I still suggest that not stepping on the clutch and rowing the shifter and then letting up on the clutch doesn't leave much time for the mind to feel there is a delay....

All told the shift times with the A8 are faster.....with paddles or in automatic mode...

For those that claim they feel the DCT clutches while shifting it's because there is a delay between the gears....and then it hits and away you go.

The bottom line is the performance of the acceleration.....including roll on performance...

If you want a bigger hit between shifts....any tuner can firm up the shifts in the torque converter automatic. Won't add any speed (maybe a tenth of a second)

The c7 Z06 A8 is going to crush the competition on any road course.....

NSC5

I am waiting to see a longer term review from someone who has had a chance to spend a lot of time in an A-8 equipped vehicle which is through the break-in period. I expect more detail will emerge on the programming and how the paddles work in various modes/conditions. For example in anything but track (and perhaps sport) mode I would expect some delay when a paddle downshift is commanded with light or open throttle. Engine braking is very useful in many situations but overly aggressive application of this can create some interesting handling conditions for someone who makes a poor choice so I would expect in normal modes for this to be a "softer" shift. Hopefully in track mode it will be more responsive. Again we will have to wait and see when these get more miles and more owner hours on them.

Snorman

Exactly. While I can appreciate the info, comparing the A8 to an F22 is somewhat foreign to me (and I would guess most others).
I look forward to driving my own Z06 with the A8.
S.

SRTRick

I didn't notice where the original poster mentioned that he had entered "performance shift mode" which has been reported by owners to greatly increase shift response in manual mode.

clwood

This transmission is adaptive, I wouldnt expect it to perform right out of the box as well as it will when it "learns" your driving style.