Peitz Puts Manual Transaxle in C8 Corvette
Texas tuner Peitz Performance has installed a TREMEC six-speed manual in a C8 Corvette despite Chevrolet saying it has no plans to offer a manual.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Performance Vehicles
Peitz Performance installed a TREMEC TR-9060 six-speed manual transaxle in a C8 Corvette, a transmission that debuted at SEMA 2025. Chevrolet has stated it has no plans to offer a manual transmission in the C8 Corvette.
Why it matters
The C8's factory eight-speed dual-clutch transmission is tightly integrated with its electronics and shift strategy, so a manual swap requires significant engineering to work with those systems. The project shows aftermarket builders pursuing driver-controlled gearing that the automaker has declined to offer.
TREMEC's TR-9060 is a six-speed manual transaxle, compared with the C8's eight-speed dual-clutch factory unit. Peitz Performance offers power kits adding 170 to 800 rwhp over stock for the fifth-generation LT small-block.
The players
Peitz Performance
A Texas-based performance shop that builds power kits for the fifth-generation LT small-block Chevrolet engine and developed this manual conversion.
TREMEC
A drivetrain manufacturer known for aftermarket manual transmissions, which developed the TR-9060 six-speed transaxle and tested it in its own C8 test mule.
Chevrolet
General Motors' performance division, which builds the C8 Corvette and has said it does not plan to offer a manual transmission in that car.
The details
TREMEC test-fit the transaxle in its in-house C8 test mule, using a rear-housing-to-frame bolt pattern similar to the C8 and GTD platforms. Peitz Performance developed a solution to integrate the manual unit with the car's control systems, which were originally designed around the factory dual-clutch.
Timeline
Earlier in 2026: Chevrolet's Tony Roma stated at Sebring that the company has no plans for a manual C8 Corvette.
SEMA 2025: TREMEC debuted the TR-9060 six-speed manual transaxle.
Roadmap
The conversion arrives as automakers have moved performance cars toward dual-clutch and electrified transmissions that offer faster shifts, while enthusiasts have kept pressing for the driver engagement of a manual. Aftermarket builders filling that gap signal continued demand for manual gearboxes in modern sports cars.
Owners wanting a manual C8 would need a custom conversion rather than a factory option, which adds cost and may affect warranty coverage. The project shows the range of drivetrain changes currently available for the car through aftermarket shops.
The takeaway
For enthusiasts, aftermarket conversions remain the main route to a manual Corvette, but buyers should weigh the added cost and warranty risks before committing.
Further reading
Explore more in Performance Vehicles for other high-output builds and drivetrain swaps.
