Chevrolet News:Rumorpile: Chevrolet Camaro Getting A Seven-Speed Manual?

[William Maley]

AutoGuide recently obtained a California Air Resources Board (CARB) document listing the pairings for the 6.2L V8 and various transmissions for the 2019 Camaro and Corvette. In the 'Trans Type' column, the Camaro is listed with M6, M7, and SA8. The middle one is the interesting bit as it hints that the Camaro will get a seven-speed manual.

AutoGuide believes the seven-speed in question is the one used in the Corvette. But there arises an issue with this conclusion. The seven-speed manual transmission for the Corvette mounts at the rear axle, whereas the manual transmission for the Camaro mounts at the engine. So GM could either figure out some way of finagling the Corvette's seven-speed into the Camaro or there is something else in the works. 

We'll be keeping a close eye on this.

Source: AutoGuide

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[G. David Felt]

Cool, but why offer an M6 and M7, that makes no sense to me but says wasted money.

Tremec has a manual 7 speed by rear dif built.

ZF only has a 6 speed manual.

Anyone know if there is like an 8 or 9 speed manual for performance cars?

[ccap41]

I originally just assumed it was the same unit in the Corvette but if it's a different unit then it doesn't make much sense unless they manage to rate it like 2mpg better..which I doubt. 

If they could manage the Vette's there's no reason not to use it. I assume a taller OD plus tighter ratios is probably a performance gain across the board. 7th would only be used on the interstate anyway to the awkwardness of shifting to 7th couldn't be that bad. 

[Robert Hall]

Nice to see investments in manuals continue, though so few cars have them and so few people buy them anymore.  Wouldn't mind having a manual again in something fun. 

[aurora97]

There may be three reasons why this is happening;

1.  This is needed to improve the fuel economy for justifying Camaro sales with big V8 engines.

2.  This is being done to maximize the economy of manufacturing a 7-speed manual transmission for multiple models.

3.  This gives the Alpha platform the architecture it needs to integrate the 7-speed manual into other cars like the Cadillac ATS and Cadillac CTS.

Maybe, just maybe, the CTS-V will get the 7-speed manual with the LT-4 engine that is already in the Z06?