Chevrolet beat Ferrari to the fake manual design by 8 years, but no one remembers

It's been 14 years since a newFerrarimodel could be had with a gated 6-speed manual transmission, a lapse filled with models equipped with amazing, yet not too engaging, Getrag dual-clutch automatics. Thankfully, V8s and V12s remained on the menu in Maranello, but that special something was missing from the stables for too long, and Ferrari needed to act quickly to get it back. The brand’s solution? Install a clutch pedal and manual gearshift to control the automatic DCT.

The jury’s still out on whether this is sacrilege, but we do know this isn’t the first time a sports car manufacturer has developed this technology. Automated manual gearboxes have been around for decades. Interacting via paddle shifters or moving the shifter up or down to engage gears is common, but a system that simulates a manual gearbox with a classic shifter and clutch pedal is relatively new. Before Ferrari decided to give its V12 Grand Tourer this new gearbox, Chevrolet was filing patents for one to use in the Corvette.

General Motors’ Electric Slave Cylinder Patent

In September 2018, headlines were interpreting GM's patent filing of an electronically actuated clutch slave cylinder as something that would give the upcoming mid-engine C8 Corvette a manual transmission. At the time, there was no word on what kind of transmission the C8 would get, but the dwindling sales of C7 Corvettes optioned with manual transmissions should have been a warning sign for the fate of three pedals in the next generation.

The patent contains designs of a clutch engagement system with no physical connection between the pedal and the clutch. The drawings depict the slave cylinder within the clutch bell housing, something it can do since the lack of hydraulic lines means it can be placed anywhere, as well as engage more smoothly and even cause less wear on both the clutch pack and flywheel when controlled by a computer.

The action of depressing the clutch would send signals to the computer that controls the clutch pack, which could give engineers the ability to create any kind of clutch-feel with just a few lines of code. At the time, the idea floated by outlets was that this would be the manual transmission found in the upcoming C8 just a few months later, but this system has yet to see the light of day in any Chevrolet product. Not since the last Camaros rolled off the line in 2023 has Chevy put a manual transmission in a new vehicle.

Ferrari is Almost the First to Bring it to Production

Similar to Chevy's idea for a partly electronic manual transmission is Ferrari's system, debuting in 1,499 examples. The differences, however, remove all mechanical components that connect the driver directly to the machine. We first learned of the patent filed by Ferrari in May when it outlined a design for a clutch pedal and gearshift which let the driver engage with the transmission like a normal manual gearbox would, but all the work is outsourced to computers.

Ferrari's Manuale By-Wire automatic transmission operates as the normal 8-speed dual-clutch automatic until its manual mode is engaged, which cuts off the top two gears and lets drivers rev the engine to its 9,500 RPM redline before releasing the clutch. Oh, in case you were wondering, Ferrari says it’s still possible to stall if you’re not careful.

Before Ferrari applied this technology to the 12Cilindri, Koenigsegg retrofitted a 9-speed automatic gearbox with a manual shifter and clutch pedal, so drivers can switch between rowing through six gears on their own, or having all nine gears shifted electronically. The electro-mechanical sorcery happening in the Koenigsegg CC850's transmission to trick drivers is a simple case of reordering the ratios. Second gear is first, fourth is second, and sixth is third. Gears four, five, and six, are actually seventh, eighth, and ninth. Ferrari hasn’t revealed what order its manuale mode will pick to ensure smooth driving.

Will Chevrolet Cave and Put a Fake Manual in the C9 Corvette?

Engineers and other product managers part of the Corvette program at Chevrolet have explicitly denied any rumors of a manual transmission coming to the C8. However, no one is saying it won't be in the next round of Vettes. The only catch is how many Corvette owners will not like the idea of a “fake” manual transmission. Ferrari’s clientele allows the company to take risks with its limited-edition models since they will always be desirable to a dedicated group of wealthy individuals.

Corvette owners are a loyal bunch, and if Chevrolet took a big enough risk by returning a manual to the next generation and got it wrong, it would hurt the Gold Bow-tie more than if another brand tried it. Corvettes are sold at a broader scale compared to the Koenigsegg or the Ferraris that might have this technology, which makes them a poor candidate for a faux manual transmission if it's not done properly. The CC850 and 12Cilindri Manuale are rare cars with a bonus feature, but the Corvette’s mass production means its manual transmission is no longer an added bonus, but the deciding factor of which model Corvette to purchase.

The 7-speed manual transmission that was available on the C7 generation is a hard act to follow, but the mid-engine layout opened the door to America’s sports car gaining a new quality while simultaneously losing a beloved feature. Combining the two would make for a new age of Corvette that pays homage to its roots while looking toward the future. The electrically controlled clutch system would give something back to the coupe enthusiasts who so desperately want it. On the bright side, if Chevrolet does look into putting the tech into production, the action of swapping ratios is still done mechanically.

Why a By-Wire Clutch isn’t a Horrible Idea

It’s hard to determine how synthetic or natural feeling the clutch system would be on a modern car given the opportunity for easier adjustments over a mechanical clutch. This type of system gives back some creativity to engineers by letting the engine and transmission sit wherever they want within the car without having to worry about hydraulic lines connecting the clutch pedal to a slave cylinder.

As before, the idea that a series of electronic components are engaging and disengaging the clutch from the flywheel might mean less wear on both, something that will resonate with anyone who has had issues in the past with heat-scoring flywheels or revving the engine too high before releasing the clutch. If you’re buying a brand-new 500-horsepower Corvette with a manual transmission, chances are this wouldn’t be your first manual gearbox. And good news for you, if this did end up in the next batch of Corvettes, it’s not an automatic moonlighting as a manual when you ask it to, it’s a manual all the time.

This design also seems like the kind of system that would give drivers the ability to adjust how stiff or light the clutch is, something we can assume based on Brembo's new by-wire braking system that removes all hydraulic lines running to the brake calipers. Brembo itself said the new system is adjustable for greater individuality in driving dynamics, and there’s nothing to say the same can’t be said here.

For what it’s worth, we don’t know what the future holds for the next Corvette, let alone any other model in the works. All we know is that Chevrolet should be teasing something in the next few years, now that Grand Sport models are rolling out. The original patent never mentioned a specific model the by-wire clutch would be used in, so who's to say it won't allow Chevrolet to put a manual gearbox into more models? Alright, that’s a bit unlikely, but we like to dream.

Sources: Chevrolet, Road & Track, Jalopnik