A summary of a technical paper from the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) disclosed that next year’s 2015MY Chevrolet Corvette Stingray will get a new eight-speed automatic gearbox that will replace the six-speed auto currently offered as optional.
The summary was initially published on SAE’s website, but it was deleted after media outlets, including Automobile magazine, picked it up. The report says the eight-speed automatic gearbox will be able to handle up to 1,000 Nm (738 lb-ft) of torque and have an overall ratio spread of 7.0.
Known as the 8L90, the new transmission should enable a quicker off-the-line acceleration as it features a shorter first gear ratio, thanks to the extra two cogs. The gearbox also promises a better highway fuel economy thanks to the engine running at a lower rpm in top gear.
With the current optional 6-speed automatic gearbox, the 2014 Corvette Stingray returns 28 mpg (8.4 l/100 km) highway, which means that the new 8-speed could improve that figure towards or even over 30 mpg (7.8 l/100 km) highway.
That would not be bad at all for a 6.2-liter V8 engine with 455 hp, and would even better the fuel economy of the Corvette’s standard 7-speed manual gearbox, which is rated at 29 mpg (8.1 l/100 km) highway.
By Dan Mihalascu
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