Everyone should be thankful that the C8 won't have auto stop/start--it's possibly the worst idea in the automotive world in recent memory. Nothing like driving around on a hot day with the AC on, only to pull up to a light and have the engine turn off, shutting down the AC compressor, and then having hot air blown in your face by the fans that are still running. Ugh. No thanks. I drove a fleet car with non-defeatable auto stop/start and it was so irritating that every time the car stopped, I would immediately release a little pressure off the brakes in order to start the car back up.
Well my guess is that a fair number of women buy Vettes and guys who don't know how to drive a MT. Also Vettes may be the most DD cars of modern "sports/GT" cars and a DD with a MT in heavy traffic is NO FUN! Dealers order what they can sell or trade off easily so makes sense they would order mostly automatics. Same reason most dealers order cars which are black, white, grey or silver and throw in a few red Vettes as well. Also on special order cars you usually can't work as "sharp" a deal as what is sitting on the lot - just my experience. I don't buy new cars off the lot, I either find pretty close to what I want in a 1-3 year old car. If I can't, I special order a new car exactly what I want and don't get the "special" deal but I get more ownership satisfaction as I have exactly what I want and it is worth it to me in that case.
I daily drove my C5Z for 10yrs in Seattle and Houston. I know I am not typical. Don't want to be either.
Over at CF there is a thread covering the C8 dealer tour. Many noted the misalignment with panels, specifically the front fascia. Additionally, some mismatched paint. Not sure this is an issue for buyers or entirely unexpected, but it’s an emotional thread for sure...
I'd be more worried if it was the press cars. Most likely these are test mules they've been running and doing whatever. The car won't be into production for another 2 months.
Look at the original post on this thread. Looks like they cut the rear quarter panel at the point where the scoop originates. They are definitely C8 fenders.
2020 Chevy Corvette C8 is 'nearly sold out' https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/2020-chevy-corvette-c8-is-nearly-sold-out/ar-AAEZw4M
https://www.autoblog.com/2019/07/29/2020-chevy-corvette-analysis-concours-america/?ncid=edlinkusauto00000016
Well I DD several MT Porsches in LA & So Cal area well over a decade as I could not afford a separate weekend car. When I could my DD became an automatic & my weekend cars were MT Pcars. The single drive that changed my thinking on automatics was about a 5 1/2 hour trip from San Diego to Ventura in Friday afternoon in bumper to bumper traffic driving my MT ‘73 911T. It did have enough power to lug in middle gears like Vettes so I did lots of shifting on that trip.
I actually prefer it to white. It's a newer fresher color. Silver is silver. Classic. Parked next to Arctic white, one can discern the difference.