Photo: GM
The 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray will hit U.S. showrooms this September, so now is the time to start thinking about what color, wheels, options and gizmos you want. Use the order guide here for reference. If you can live without the standard seven-speed stick shift gearbox and a clutch pedal, then the Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-speed automatic that replaces the 6L80 will certainly please you.
For starters, the 2015 Hydra-Matic 8L90 (M5U) eight-speed RWD automatic transaxle is made from lightweight and durable materials such as aluminum and magnesium. Despite its modest size, the GM-developed unit shaves 0.1 seconds off the 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) run, which now comes in only 3.7 seconds. The paddle-shift eight speed automatic transmission helps the 6.2-liter LT1 V8 put 455 horsepower (or 460 with the highly recommended optional performance exhaust) to the rear wheels.
Fuel consumption? We have that bit of info as well. With the new gearbox, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is 3.5 percent better on fuel, boasting an EPA-rated 16 mpg city / 29 mpg highway / 20 mpg combined, translating to 14.7 / 8.1/ 11.7 liters of gasoline for every 100 kilometers driven. This might be a little bit hard to believe, but the 29 highway mpg of the new Vette trumps the Porsche 911 Carrera (28 mpg), Audi R8 V8 (20 mpg), Jaguar F-Type R (23 mpg) or Nissan GT-R (23 mpg). Heck, it's even better than some more mundane nameplates such as the Subaru Outback six-cylinder (27 mpg), Volkswagen Passat six-cylinder (28 mpg) and Mercedes-Benz C350 Coupe (28 mpg).
With a 7.0 overall gear ratio spread and a more aggressive 4.56 first gear ratio, the new unit is that bit better than yesteryear's Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic. Be advised though: while the normal Vette gets a lower 2.41 rear axle ratio, the Z51 variant makes do with a 2.73 rear axle ratio similar to the 2014 model year. If you love to live your life a 1/4-mile at a time, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette does the run in 11.9 seconds, a tenth better than the 2014 model year. In terms of power-to-weight ratio, the 3,298-pound (1,499 kg) 2015 Stingray in coupe guise with the new 8L90 automatic is boasting with 1 horsepower per 7.25 pounds of mass, which is slightly better than the Porsche 911 Carrera's 8.7 ratio.
For those who prefer the manual-shifting driving experience, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray comes as standard with a seven-speed manual that gets from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and will return 29 mpg on the highway, the same figure achieved by the 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmission.
Fuel consumption? We have that bit of info as well. With the new gearbox, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is 3.5 percent better on fuel, boasting an EPA-rated 16 mpg city / 29 mpg highway / 20 mpg combined, translating to 14.7 / 8.1/ 11.7 liters of gasoline for every 100 kilometers driven. This might be a little bit hard to believe, but the 29 highway mpg of the new Vette trumps the Porsche 911 Carrera (28 mpg), Audi R8 V8 (20 mpg), Jaguar F-Type R (23 mpg) or Nissan GT-R (23 mpg). Heck, it's even better than some more mundane nameplates such as the Subaru Outback six-cylinder (27 mpg), Volkswagen Passat six-cylinder (28 mpg) and Mercedes-Benz C350 Coupe (28 mpg).
With a 7.0 overall gear ratio spread and a more aggressive 4.56 first gear ratio, the new unit is that bit better than yesteryear's Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic. Be advised though: while the normal Vette gets a lower 2.41 rear axle ratio, the Z51 variant makes do with a 2.73 rear axle ratio similar to the 2014 model year. If you love to live your life a 1/4-mile at a time, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette does the run in 11.9 seconds, a tenth better than the 2014 model year. In terms of power-to-weight ratio, the 3,298-pound (1,499 kg) 2015 Stingray in coupe guise with the new 8L90 automatic is boasting with 1 horsepower per 7.25 pounds of mass, which is slightly better than the Porsche 911 Carrera's 8.7 ratio.
For those who prefer the manual-shifting driving experience, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray comes as standard with a seven-speed manual that gets from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and will return 29 mpg on the highway, the same figure achieved by the 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmission.
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