2020 Auto selector?

[Ericc B]

One of the new GT500 videos shows an interior shot with a redesigned console with new cup holders, a rotary selector for the automatic transmission and an electronic e-brake. I seriously doubt Ford would redesign this part only for the handful of GT500's they're gonna build, so we might be looking at a new 2020 Mustang automatic rotary shifter knob and electronic e-brake here

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[poncho@home]

Honestly, that's a disappointment for me. I love having my right hand on the shifter, even if its an auto. Just so used to it. Having said that, it wouldn't stop my from getting GT500, if I could afford one.

 

[Spork3245]

I assumed the same. The little storage thing in front of the shifter is also noticeable larger and I fully expect it to be a wireless charging pad for 2020+.

 

[jasonstang]

Unfortunately that is the trend everyone else is going.

 

[Rickycardo]

I welcome it. I felt Ford needed a DCT like this all the way back in 2015. We're 19 years into the 21st century, we need to give up the archaic handles of 100 years ago.

 

[sdiver68]

I've had the rotary shifter and e-brake in an Audi. No thanks!

 

[mavisky]

700+ hp and a world class dual clutch transmission and everyone hates it just because it has a round selector. Keep both hands on the wheel and the titianium shift paddles and you'll forget all about that little knob.

 

[Spork3245]

I've had the rotary shifter and e-brake in an Audi. No thanks!

Why?

 

[sdiver68]

Why?

I guess I prefer a more mechanical approach except when chasing lap times.

 

[Fatguy]

700+ hp and a world class dual clutch transmission and everyone hates it just because it has a round selector. Keep both hands on the wheel and the titianium shift paddles and you'll forget all about that little knob.

It’s an old man thing I guess.

One thing I love about the present Mustang is a real old fashioned hand brake with a button and using effort to raise the thing and hearing the click as you ride up the steps of that mechanical brake. The rest of it is just having things to touch and hold on to. It’s part of the interactive experience of driving a car. But that is a car enthusiast thing...

 

[EcoVert]

Electronic parking brake

 

[Zelek]

My Accord uses the buttons like the Acuras do. It's only a matter of time before they eliminate the shifter for something like this. I've got the electronic parking brake too.

Once you get accustomed to it, you'll realize it frees up a lot of room to move across the center console.

 

[Kevin08]

The S550 isn't exactly lacking on console room, though. There are certain design aspects that you kind of expect for different classes of cars. Rotary shift knobs and push button emergency brakes are perfectly at home in a Fusion or Civic. Seeing that in a 700HP would-be muscle car is a case of identity crisis. Needless to say, Vaughn Gittin isn't gonna be doing any sick PR event drifts in Ford's new 700HP appliance.

 

[ANGST]

If the DCT makes it to the GT , I am going to be sorely tempted to get it.

 

[mavisky]

It’s an old man thing I guess.

One thing I love about the present Mustang is a real old fashioned hand brake with a button and using effort to raise the thing and hearing the click as you ride up the steps of that mechanical brake. The rest of it is just having things to touch and hold on to. It’s part of the interactive experience of driving a car. But that is a car enthusiast thing...

I get the enthusiast thing, but you get driving pleasure out of the way the parking brake clicks? That's a very very specific set of requirements. If you haven't driven a properly configured DCT car like a GTR or a 911 with the PDK hard, I think you'd be surprised how engaging the DCT can be by allowing you to keep both of your hands on the wheel. Manually shifting a car with 700+hp around a racetrack or on a back country road with some twists takes a lot of work and gives lots of opportunities for a failed heel/toe downshift or a missed upshift that could have serious consequences. This just helps you access more of the car's potential and will make the shifts faster than you ever could with a manual.

I was shopping both GTR's and 911's before I decided to make the wiser financial decision and opt for the GT350, if there had been a DCT option made available with close ratio gearing I absolutely would have taken it on the GT350. If Ford got the programming correct on this thing it's going to blow some minds when it gets into the hands of the press. Look at how good the GT350 did with magazine testers and the only complaints I can recall hearing were "Chassis could use more power" and "gearing of the manual transmission only really works well on the track". This GT500 fixes both of those with the only downsides being some more weight and a little round knob and electric e-brake that has the world all up in arms.

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