2018 Mustang Manual vs. Auto--MotorTrend

[w3rkn]

Remember that the refresh got way longer gears for the MT for better fuel economy. The AT clearly got the besser gear ratios for a fast acceleration from a complete stand.

2015 V8 MT:
3.657
2.430
1.686
1.315
1.00
0.651

2018 V8 MT:
3.24
2.10
1.42
1.00
0.81
0.62

2018 V8 AT:
4.70
2.99
2.15
1.77
1.52
1.28
1.00
0.85
0.69
0.64

I think you may have the 2015 manual and 2018 manual ratios mixed up. 4th gear use to be 1:1 now it is 5th gear.

Right..?

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[cosmo]

I think you may have the 2015 manual and 2018 manual ratios mixed up. 4th gear use to be 1:1 now it is 5th gear.

Right..?

No, 2018 manual has the longer gears. It's serial is MT-82 D4 standing for "direct 4", aka 1:1.

 

[w3rkn]

No, 2018 manual has the longer gears. It's serial is MT-82 D4 standing for "direct 4", aka 1:1.

Thanks.

 

[Grintch]

Automatics have been the transmission if choice for drag racing for what, 3 or 4 decades?

Need a road course test to see if the automatic is definitively better.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Automatics are more energy efficient now too.

More energy efficient compared to the automatics of yesteryear, yes. Compared to today's MTs, I don't think they're there yet (and may never quite get there). As noted already, an AT has sources of parasitic losses that have no counterpart in a MT.

8 - 10% drivetrain loss is not uncommon.

If true, that's great. Though I doubt it's that low under all operating conditions.


Norm

 

[airfuel]

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if someone stated they purchased the auto because they don’t know how to drive a stick?

I’m sure there are a few here.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Automatics have been the transmission if choice for drag racing for what, 3 or 4 decades?

At least 4. The handwriting was on the wall by 5 decades back if you were paying attention.

Bracket racing got its start around 1974, which favors the automatic too strongly for anybody who's serious about the sport to ignore.

The sharp guys were onto the idea of running automatics several years earlier . . .

the 1968 Class Records were,
* E/S......12.78 @ 107.65 MPH
* E/SA....12.79 @ 109.75 MPH

Need a road course test to see if the automatic is definitively better.

Designing a test that would sidestep all of the course dependency arguments that would crop up could be a real headache.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if someone stated they purchased the auto because they don’t know how to drive a stick?

I’m sure there are a few here.

I'm sure that there's a couple or a few posts saying exactly that, mixed in with other reasons.


Norm

 

[Angry50]

That A10 can't guess the gear it needs to be in, to powerslid around a street corner, does it...?

A10 is fast, but you loose control of your clutch and gearing.

most of us are not "hooning" on the street. *LOSING "control" over certain parts isn't that bad.. the paddles are decent and even under part throttle have respectable response. i have many times paddled mine down to accelerate.

 

[Angry50]

Automatics have been the transmission if choice for drag racing for what, 3 or 4 decades?

Need a road course test to see if the automatic is definitively better.

i believe randy pobst did a test of 2 Cadillacs 1 manual 1 auto and he was faster in the auto. was only like .05 sec or something small but you can really go either way for road course.. its more reliant on driver.

 

[wireeater]

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if someone stated they purchased the auto because they don’t know how to drive a stick?

I’m sure there are a few here.

I mean if it makes you feel better I can say it. But it wouldn't be true.

This is the first automatic i've owned since my first car. The sound of a 10 gear transmission sounded fun to me so I figured I'd give it a shot. So far, 6k miles into it, I do not miss having the manual I had in my 16 GTpp.

 

[nastang87xx]

More energy efficient compared to the automatics of yesteryear, yes. Compared to today's MTs, I don't think they're there yet (and may never quite get there). As noted already, an AT has sources of parasitic losses that have no counterpart in a MT.



If true, that's great. Though I doubt it's that low under all operating conditions.


Norm

Well we keep on seeing '18 Mustang GT's with 10R80's roll in the low 400 RWHP ranges and Hellcats in the mid 600's. To back that up, SRT 392's and Scat Packs turn over 425 RWHP (485 crank claimed) pretty consistently too. And the ZL1 10L90 is consistently mid-high 500's. There is a tradeoff to this though and I'm sure you could definite intuitively figure this out, a LOT of heat.

Progress is progress whether we believe it or not. Just take a look at how fast some of these torque converter autos shift now too vs dual clutch boxes. Say what you want about GM and the TERRIBLE 8Lxx transmissions but when you're flogging them, they shift insanely fast. I can understand why they don't let the trans shift lightning faster at lower throttle input (it's super jerky) but at least give me the option like in the Charger/Challenger to give me all of the transmission.

 

[Phenom5.0]

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if someone stated they purchased the auto because they don’t know how to drive a stick?

I’m sure there are a few here.

I am one of those people lol.

Never drove a stick in my life (I'm 34). Never had the opportunity either. Funny thing is I wanted one and wanted the challenge of it for my new 19 Gt.

However, with the transmission issues of the manuals this year, caused me to worry. Also when my wife uses my car, very rarely, she'd have to learn too. Some decided not to try the manual this time around. Maybe in a few years when I get a promotion and I can afford a gt350:love:

 

[Norm Peterson]

Well we keep on seeing '18 Mustang GT's with 10R80's roll in the low 400 RWHP ranges and Hellcats in the mid 600's. To back that up, SRT 392's and Scat Packs turn over 425 RWHP (485 crank claimed) pretty consistently too. And the ZL1 10L90 is consistently mid-high 500's. There is a tradeoff to this though and I'm sure you could definite intuitively figure this out, a LOT of heat.

I'm not arguing with any of that. What I am picking at is any implication that today's ATs are more efficient than the MTs.

Progress is progress whether we believe it or not. Just take a look at how fast some of these torque converter autos shift now too vs dual clutch boxes. Say what you want about GM and the TERRIBLE 8Lxx transmissions but when you're flogging them, they shift insanely fast. I can understand why they don't let the trans shift lightning faster at lower throttle input (it's super jerky) but at least give me the option like in the Charger/Challenger to give me all of the transmission.

Or this either.

But technological progress does not guarantee increased user satisfaction in all cases or for all people, no matter how badly the technophiles among us wish that was the way it worked, or (in this case) how many times the improved-acceleration-through-technology stats are trotted out.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

*LOSING "control" over certain parts isn't that bad.

But it can be that bad. Or worse, if the programmed shift logic is really poor at matching up with the way an individual is driving at the moment.

Personally, I flat-out hate throttle pedal commanded downshifts no matter how few/many gears it drops down. If I wanted the transmission to be in a lower gear I'd have already put it there.


Norm

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