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Will we ever see an Automatic GT500?

Norm Peterson

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Originally Posted by Spartan
They should offer both. Let people decide.
You by far have the best mindset
I can agree in theory, but not in practice.

Reality is skewed from theory in that automatics have a pretty long history of crowding manuals out, and for a variety of reasons. Without being under similar pressure itself from other transmission types (so far).


FWIW, with such a small volume, splitting it into two certification efforts would serve mainly to increase the price. I have no idea by how much, only that they'd go up as each model line and trim is expected to turn a profit by itself.


Norm
 
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bluebeastsrt

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I'm surprised there are so many people supporting auto GT500. I dont even agree with an auto GT being produced, i hate the idea of an auto roush stage 3, let alone a gt500. I guess that could be because im 23. I'm sure when i can afford one i wont have the bones for a stickshift haha.
Youll change your tune when it comes time to replace that clutch your so proud of. Don't say it won't happen. Young pups like you are hard on everything.
 

Twin Turbo

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Well, the 10-speed is going in the Camaro ZL1.......so it'd be odd if a Ford developed transmission wasn't available in its own competitor.
 

stang77

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Youll change your tune when it comes time to replace that clutch your so proud of. Don't say it won't happen. Young pups like you are hard on everything.

Exactly why I have the auto.
 

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GT500TT

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Yep read my mind. Coming off a 6speed Porsche Turbo that ate clutches! I was once in the I'll only have a manual crowd! I now understand that super high horse power cars and clutches can be very expensive. I'm looking forward to getting in to an automatic GT500!
Funny enough I want buy one unless I can get the auto! Boy am I old or what!
 

healntoe

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Very very doubtful. It's a halo niche car. You can't make a car touted to be the king of mustangs and make it automatic. The biggest indication is look at the fact they don't offer a Performance Pack Automatic GT. No way they'd offer an automatic Specialty car.
No?? What do you make of this ad for a '67 GT500 with an AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION?

Bright lime/ white stripes, black deluxe interior. Numbers matching 428 dual quad with BJ/BK carburetors, stock exhaust manifolds, COBRA valve covers, and matching air cleaner. Select-O-Matic auto transmission and 9” rear differential with 3.50 gear, power steering /power disc brakes. Original 10-spoke aluminum wheels. Original invoices, shipping orders, order forms, and recent authentication by...
 
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SpeedLu

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Nothing against manuals, but I would probably only buy a GT500 if it came with an automatic. There's no reason to create a drag supercar with a manual transmission in it when all that does is slow your car's strip time.
 

4V Mayhem

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Eventually. When it becomes more than blatantly obvious to even the purists that autos are faster then maybe they'll switch. Because it'll suck seeing the GT500 lose races to cars with much less power simply because of the transmission.
 

Norm Peterson

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Eventually. When it becomes more than blatantly obvious to even the purists that autos are faster then maybe they'll switch.
To the matter of expecting "purists" to switch . . . that's just a first-rung-on-the-enthusiast-ladder point of view, the one that tries to claim that drag racing and street races are all that matter.

I can honestly tell you that after once or twice driving an automatic ponycar/musclecar of any amount of power (mainly to find out what it was like) I'd rather keep driving my 3V 4.6 M5. Or for that matter, even the 5MT Maxima in my sig, that's claimed to be maybe a mid 15 second car. I know myself that well, and it's not that I never use the performance potentials of my cars almost to their limits.


(Edited to be inclusive of more cars than just the GT500)


Norm
 

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4V Mayhem

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To the matter of expecting "purists" to switch . . . that's just a first-rung-on-the-enthusiast-ladder point of view, the one that tries to claim that drag racing and street races are all that matter.

I can honestly tell you that after once or twice driving an automatic ponycar/musclecar of any amount of power (mainly to find out what it was like) I'd rather keep driving my 3V 4.6 M5. Or for that matter, even the 5MT Maxima in my sig, that's claimed to be maybe a mid 15 second car. I know myself that well, and it's not that I never use the performance potentials of my cars almost to their limits.


(Edited to be inclusive of more cars than just the GT500)


Norm
I love my manual trans cars. A manual trans is my preference. I have 2 Muscal Cars and a SUV. Both cars are manual and the SUV is auto. Manuals are soo much more fun to drive. But there's no denying the advantage that the automatics have. Just like there's no denying the advantage that AWD offers...but that's an argument for another day. Purist mentality does nothing but hold back progress if you ask me. Because instead of thinking practically, purists give in to thinking emotionally. Remember, they were staunchly against fuel injection too. The mid 80s was supposed to be the end of all performance according to them. Practically speaking, if you're getting a car for the purpose of racing, then you're better off with an auto. If you're getting a car to feel some nostalgia or connection to old days or for fun, then get a manual. But we all feel differently on this subject. I welcome an auto GT500.
 

Norm Peterson

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. . . But there's no denying the advantage that the automatics have. Just like there's no denying the advantage that AWD offers...but that's an argument for another day. Purist mentality does nothing but hold back progress if you ask me. Because instead of thinking practically, purists give in to thinking emotionally. Remember, they were staunchly against fuel injection too. The mid 80s was supposed to be the end of all performance according to them. Practically speaking, if you're getting a car for the purpose of racing, then you're better off with an auto. If you're getting a car to feel some nostalgia or connection to old days or for fun, then get a manual. But we all feel differently on this subject. I welcome an auto GT500.
Trust me, I understand the advantages of an automatic on the acceleration side of the coin. From as far back as the late 1960's, actually, when the advantages were perhaps better described as 'potential' or 'theoretical'. Times like this, I wish I'd kept the class paper I wrote on this very topic . . .

For me - my racing venues have lots of corners and no hard standing start launches - the AT's biggest performance draw is not worth nearly enough to overcome all the other ways in which an automatic transmission doesn't quite fit the ways I do drive. As in every car, not just the Mustang. This doesn't make me a purist, although I can see where it could be mistaken as such. Just a guy who knows what fits him best, and that automating the shifting process or isolating the driver from the mechanics of it does not necessarily represent progress (honestly, it's felt like a backward step to me on the rare occasions in recent years that I've needed to drive an AT vehicle).



A little off topic, but it's interesting that you picked fuel injection as a separate purist objection, as I've been an EFI fan ever since its development managed to rise above the throttle-body injection level. I actually installed an aftermarket multipoint EFI on a car that had originally come with a carbureted engine - this being back in the 1990's to a 1979 V8 sedan - and tuned it mostly myself (bet you didn't see that coming ;) ). That, plus a few other nonconformist mods, made that car what it could and probably should have become (but didn't).


Norm
 

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Trust me, I understand the advantages of an automatic on the acceleration side of the coin. From as far back as the late 1960's, actually, when the advantages were perhaps better described as 'potential' or 'theoretical'. Times like this, I wish I'd kept the class paper I wrote on this very topic . . .

For me - my racing venues have lots of corners and no hard standing start launches - the AT's biggest performance draw is not worth nearly enough to overcome all the other ways in which an automatic transmission doesn't quite fit the ways I do drive. As in every car, not just the Mustang. This doesn't make me a purist, although I can see where it could be mistaken as such. Just a guy who knows what fits him best, and that automating the shifting process or isolating the driver from the mechanics of it does not necessarily represent progress (honestly, it's felt like a backward step to me on the rare occasions in recent years that I've needed to drive an AT vehicle).



A little off topic, but it's interesting that you picked fuel injection as a separate purist objection, as I've been an EFI fan ever since its development managed to rise above the throttle-body injection level. I actually installed an aftermarket multipoint EFI on a car that had originally come with a carbureted engine - this being back in the 1990's to a 1979 V8 sedan - and tuned it mostly myself (bet you didn't see that coming ;) ). That, plus a few other nonconformist mods, made that car what it could and probably should have become (but didn't).


Norm
I make it a general point to not underestimate anyone, lol!! I didn't take you as a purist...at least not completely. A little bit maybe. But you didn't immediately start spouting off about heritage and how the GT500 will lose it's meaning and all that stuff that non-conforming purists love to say, haha!! So I didn't see you as being one of them. I agree that you can get a better feel for the road in a manual car. And a lot of times, in situations where the ECU wouldn't know exactly which gear to shift into (happened lots of times in mt old GT), if you have a manual then you can avoid that. But I still tend to think that overall, the autos do still have an advantage. Especially on these newer cars. I would like to see the GT500 eventually offer a manual. If not only for the simple fact that they'll open up a bigger market for the car. But I could see that driving the price up which could be bad. I guess one day we'll see.
 

speedrx

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Most of the current high performance sport cars offer an auto, including the most direct competitors, the ZL1 and the Hellcat. The Auto is "optional", lets the consumer choose, I think Ford should offer an Auto for the new GT500 also.

BTW, I have a manual GT500 but if Ford offers an Auto GT500 for 2017/2018, I am a buyer.
 

PJR202

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I just saw an auto GT500 convertible a few days ago. Not sure what year it was.
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