01:19 02-02-2026

Corvette C8 transmission production returns to Michigan

The mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8 remains one of the fastest and most technologically advanced sports cars in General Motors' lineup, largely thanks to its eight-speed dual-clutch automated transmission. However, a significant change occurred in the supply chain for this transmission in 2025.

The C8 Corvette's transmission continues to be developed and supplied by Tremec. Starting with the 2022 model year, some units were manufactured under license at GM's St. Catharines plant in Ontario. That arrangement has now ended: as of the 2025 calendar year, transmissions for the Corvette are no longer produced in Canada.

All eight-speed DCT units for the Corvette are once again fully assembled at Tremec's facility in Michigan. This shift doesn't diminish the strategic importance of the St. Catharines plant for GM. The company has already confirmed that this location will be responsible for producing the next generation of gasoline V8 engines.

Currently, the plant manufactures the naturally aspirated 5.3 L84 and 6.2 L87 engines used in GM's full-size pickups and SUVs. The same basic transmission case is used across all C8 Corvette variants, from the Stingray to the Z06, E-Ray, and flagship ZR1X. However, as power increases, the transmission receives substantial upgrades: reinforced input shafts, hardened gears, an improved lubrication system, a redesigned final drive, and more capable hydraulic valves.

These modifications allow the gearbox to handle the extreme demands of the top-tier models. All C8 Corvettes continue to be assembled at the Bowling Green plant in Kentucky, where the model has been produced continuously since 1981.

Overall, the changes affect not the car itself, but the logistics of a key component, highlighting GM's move to centralize production of critical parts. Returning full control of Corvette transmission production to Tremec appears logical: with extreme loads and increasing power in flagship versions, quality control becomes more important than geography.