Among the many ways the new 2020 Corvette breaks with Corvette tradition is that it's the first generation of America's sports car not to offer a manual transmission. As with any multifaceted decision like this, there are a number of factors. But the primary reason didn't have to do with engineering or packaging.

Are Corvettes manual?

The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette is the first generation in the car's 67-year history to not offer a manual transmission. ... It's no secret that very few people buy cars with manual transmissions in the U.S., and that applies to the Corvette. Specifically, Crosbie says 23 percent of C7 Corvettes were sold with a manual.

Do Corvettes come with stick shift?

While there is no current option to get the mid-engined C8 Corvette with a manual transmission, that doesn't mean it can't happen. Chevrolet has made it clear that they are perfectly fine with the Corvette as an automatic, and they haven't made any promises to produce a stick shift in the future.