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Corvette chief engineer Tony Roma said General Motors intends the next-generation C9 to retain the Corvette’s value-focused identity while improving performance. He said the mid-engine model is not intended to follow Ferrari and Lamborghini pricing. Roma also said a factory manual transmission remains uncertain because developing and validating one would be costly.
General Motors intends to keep the next-generation C9 Corvette focused on value, chief engineer Tony Roma said in an interview with The Drive. He said the car should improve on the C8’s performance while retaining Corvette’s identity, rather than adopting Ferrari and Lamborghini pricing. Roma did not disclose a launch date, price, or final specifications. A factory manual transmission remains undecided.
Roma said the C9 should offer customers more than the car they already own, with performance improvements forming part of that value proposition. “The C9 needs to be a Corvette at its core,” he told The Drive. “It needs to have value; we would obviously try to improve the performance over the C8.” His remarks outline development aims, not confirmed production specifications.
Roma said the C8’s move to a mid-engine layout does not mean the Corvette should compete on the same terms as Italian supercar brands. “That’s not the core of what a Corvette is,” he said. He described the engine relocation as a decision based on vehicle dynamics, saying the layout puts weight over the drive wheels while retaining the ride comfort associated with earlier Corvettes.
The interview also addressed whether the C9 could offer a manual gearbox. Roma said he would welcome one as a driver, but developing a new transmission for the C8’s mid-engine arrangement would be expensive. The C5, C6 and C7 generations could use a related manual-transmission design refined over decades; the C8’s transaxle layout, he said, would require a purpose-developed unit. Any production transmission would also need validation and emissions certification.
Value Sets the C9’s Direction
Roma’s comments address whether the C8’s mid-engine layout could lead GM to reposition the Corvette as a more expensive exotic. As reported by The Drive, he said the C9 is intended to retain Corvette’s value proposition while GM seeks better performance.
That is a statement of intent, not a promise that the C9 will cost the same as the current model or remain within a particular buyer’s budget. No C9 price, target, or performance figure was provided. Roma’s comments indicate that GM considers value relative to performance part of the Corvette’s identity, rather than treating the engine layout as a reason to adopt higher-end rivals’ pricing.
The manual-transmission discussion concerns the development and certification costs of offering the equipment. Roma said those requirements would need to be weighed in deciding whether a factory gearbox is feasible.
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From C8 Layout to C9 Plans
The C8 introduced a mid-engine configuration, a substantial change from the front-engine arrangement used by earlier Corvette generations. Roma said that change required a different transmission package: the C8 uses a transaxle suited to the engine’s position behind the cabin. He characterized the layout as a performance decision, not a change in the Corvette’s basic market identity.
The Drive interview took place while Chevrolet was still completing the C8 lineup. Roma’s comments look ahead to the C9 but do not establish a schedule for the next generation. He said the company would aim to make the car “newer” and “faster,” while keeping the model’s value focus.
Roma said he had not seen an aftermarket manual gearbox installed in an actual C8. An aftermarket demonstration, if available, would not by itself establish that a factory offering meets production requirements, including validation and emissions certification.
““The C9 needs to be a Corvette at its core. It needs to have value.””
— Tony Roma, Corvette chief engineer, speaking to The Drive
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Price, Timing and Gearbox Remain Open
GM has not announced the C9’s price, release timing, powertrain, or final performance targets in the source material. Roma’s comments describe the company’s goals for the car, not finalized specifications or a price commitment.
It is also unclear whether the C9 will offer a manual transmission. Roma identified development cost, validation and emissions certification as hurdles but did not announce a decision. His comments about an aftermarket gearbox reflect his assessment in the interview; they do not establish whether a production-ready version exists or whether GM is formally evaluating one.
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Awaiting C9 Product Details
GM or Chevrolet has not provided a C9 launch date or detailed specifications in the cited report. Until the company announces more, Roma’s remarks should be understood as development priorities rather than final product commitments.
Future announcements may clarify the C9’s timing, pricing, performance and transmission choices. Roma said GM intends to improve on the C8’s performance while maintaining a value focus. Whether the C9 will offer a factory manual remains unresolved.
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Key Questions
What did GM say about the C9 Corvette?
Corvette chief engineer Tony Roma told The Drive that the C9 should remain a Corvette at its core, with value and improved performance among its goals. He did not provide final specifications.
Is the C9 Corvette’s price confirmed?
No. The interview provided no C9 price or affordability target. Roma described a value-focused goal but did not set a price range.
Will the C9 have a manual transmission?
That has not been confirmed. Roma said he likes the idea but cited the cost of developing and certifying a new transmission for the mid-engine layout.
When will the C9 Corvette go on sale?
The source material gives no C9 launch date. GM has not announced timing in the interview discussed by The Drive.
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