If you are a Corvette fan, you must know that GM has replaced the six-speed auto offered on the 2014 model with an eight-speed automatic for the 2015 MY.
The all-new, paddle-shift eight-speed automatic transmission has advantages both in terms of performance and fuel economy.
With the new gearbox, the 2015 Corvette Stingray sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, 0.1 seconds faster than with the previous six-speed transmission. As a matter of fact, it is also faster than the model equipped with the seven-speed manual transmission, also by 0.1 seconds. The 8-speed auto Corvette also boasts a quarter-mile elapsed time of 11.9 seconds, a 0.1-second improvement over the six-speed auto.
In terms of fuel economy, the 2015 Corvette Stingray with the 8sp unit is EPA-estimated at 29 mpg (8.1 l/100km) on the highway. That’s an improvement of 1 mpg (or 3.5 percent) over the previous automatic gearbox and is equal to the manual model’s rating. New eight-speed models are EPA-rated at 16 mpg (14.7 l/100 km) in the city and 20 mpg (11.7 l/100 km) combined.
GM says the greater performance and efficiency enabled by the Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-speed automatic is due primarily to its 7.0 overall gear ratio spread, “which enhances off-the-line performance with a more aggressive first gear ratio – 4.56 vs. 4.03 on the six-speed – helping achieve the quicker 0-60 time.” The automaker also says it “delivers world-class shift times that rival the best dual-clutch design.”
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