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
