3.31 gearing? ('13/'14 Shelby GT500)

Why did Ford put 3.31 highway gears in a 2013/2014 Shelby performance car?

The first few gears in a SC'd car with close ratio gears are pretty much useless, since you'll be frying the tires. With all that torque you're much better off with taller gears to gain traction. Standard GT spins the tires with 3:73 gears. Also doesn't hurt that it helps MPG.

Who said 3.31 are "highway gears"?

Also with all that low end torque and relatively low redline, a tall rear end is better matched to the car.

3.31 are a highway gear because it cruises better and yields better fuel mileage than 3.55 and performance pack 3.73 gears.

TONYG said:

Why did Ford put 3.31 highway gears in a 2013/2014 Shelby performance car?

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Short of drag slicks, I already can't go full throttle in first or second gear without serious wheel spin and that is with the mid gear 3.31. A highway gear is like a 2.70 or so.

I can't imagine a 3.73 car could be any faster off the line than my 3.31.

The gears are matched to the transmission ratios and the powerband of the engine. You don't label gears one way or another because they are simply part of the recipe. Look at the gears of Mercedes AMG or BMW M cars, they can be 3.1x or even lower.

Grimace427 said:

The gears are matched to the transmission ratios and the powerband of the engine. You don't label gears one way or another because they are simply part of the recipe. Look at the gears of Mercedes AMG or BMW M cars, they can be 3.1x or even lower.

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Yep.

The Hellcat has 2.73 (I think) gears with the A8 transmission, the A6 Mustangs were 3.15 until the 3.55's became optional for the 2015 MY.

They needed tall gears to achieve 200mph and to not have the gas guzzler tax. Even with 3.31's traction is hard to come by. Had one I know all about it