The Manual C8 Corvette Is Real, And Really Expensive

Chevy won't build a manual C8 Corvette, so one aftermarket company is taking matters into its own hands. But it could cost up to $70,000.

Photo by: Alex Peitz / YouTube

By: Anthony Alaniz

Nov 10, at 1:00pm ET

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Chevrolet has been adamant that it has no plans to make a new manual-equipped Corvette anytime soon. It has left that task up to the aftermarket, and that is exactly what Peitz Performance Tune has done. But if you want to shift your own gears in a C8, it won't be cheap.

According to Alex Peitz, the company founder, in a new video, the conversion will likely cost $60,000 to $70,000 on top of the price of the C8, and it's currently only compatible with the base Stingray. Chevy never intended for the mid-engine Corvette to have a manual transmission, creating a lot of work for Peitz and his team.

Even though the Tremec-supplied transmission was designed to fit in the C8, making it easy to install, the car still needed a clutch, a shifter, the assorted hardware, and the right software to make it all work. The Corvette already had a MoTeC control unit, making it easier to bypass the car’s locked-down software controls.

Changes And Availability

The upgrade transforms the interior, making space for the shifter in the center tunnel. Each car will get a new center console that hides the PRNDL controls, retains the row of buttons, and still features the drive-mode selector.

Peitz says Tremec will begin producing the manual transmission next summer in mid-2027. During that time, Peitz will continue to refine the package, with plans to handle all installations until the company feels confident it can offer a complete kit for other shops.

Chevy Keeps Shooting Down A Manual Corvette

Chevrolet Corvette C8 Manual By Peitz Performance Tune

Photo by: Alex Peitz / YouTube

When the C8 Corvette went on sale, it was the first time in its history that it did not offer a manual transmission. The automaker made that decision for two reasons: cost and preference.

The manual transmission that Chevy had offered in past Corvettes was “mostly paid for,” according to Tony Roma, the car’s chief engineer. The company continued to offer the gearbox because the cost to keep it in production was reasonable, but the C8’s new layout prevented Chevy from using it.

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If Chevy wanted to offer a manual-equipped C8, it would have had to design an all-new transmission. The automaker could not justify it after C7 buyers overwhelmingly preferred the automatic. Josh Holder, a Chevy vehicle engineer, said in March: