The new eight-speed automatic gives us a chance to put more automatic transmission customers on the track. Because there is some lack of clarity around the true capability of each of the transmissions, this question gives us the opportunity to publish some guidelines:

• The Z06 Manual is designed to keep engine oil, coolant, transmission and differential fluids below the hot warning targets when driven by a professional on a 30°Cday (86°F) on a “typical” racetrack for an indefinite period of time (effectively the time to burn through a full tank of fuel). Our team validates the durability of the Z06 cooling systems with a 24-hour accumulated track test to simulate the most aggressive track-day usage by our customers.

• We designate our track: the Milford Road Course, as the “typical” standard, but recognize there are tracks around the world that are easier on a cooling system, and some that are harder on a cooling system. Generally speaking, tighter tracks with lower average speed and higher sustained RPM, will drive higher fluid system temperatures.

• Higher-temperature ambient conditions affect all cars’ abilities to run sustained laps at ten-tenths.

• The Z06 Automatic transmission put in “Drive” selects the lowest-possible gear ratio for the best acceleration, and because it has eight closely-spaced ratios, it typically runs higher-average RPM than the manual. This optimizes lap time performance, but also taxes the engine oil and coolant more for any given track. So the automatic has the capability to run faster laps than the manual, but thermal limitations are reached more quickly. Customers who are planning to run extended track-day sessions at “professional” speeds, are advised to go with the manual transmission, or to paddle shift the automatic and select higher gears when conditions warrant it.

• Any time the maximum recommended temperatures are reached in any condition, the DIC will give warnings at the appropriate time for coolant, oil or transmission fluid. A cool-down lap or two will bring operating temperatures back to a reasonable level, and aggressive track driving can be resumed.

Some may wonder why we don’t design to higher temperatures — say 110 degrees — to accommodate southern tracks in the summer. We have used the “pro driver at 86 degrees” criteria for generations of Corvettes, and for the vast majority of customers, it has resulted in excellent performance for their usage.

If we designed to higher-temperature criteria, we would have to add a lot of cooling hardware, which drives mass up, and perhaps more importantly, you have to feed the system with more air, which has a huge impact on appearance and aerodynamic drag. Like most aspects of car design, the challenge is in finding the best balance of conflicting requirements.

The forum seems pretty pleased with his answer as well. Even the track-warrior Z06 customers with automatics are less upset than I expected. For a forum that overheats as easily as the new Z06, I am blown away by the amount of calm I’m seeing.