Autoblog Article

[Endokendal]

Forgive me if this is already posted... I looked and didn’t see it.
I totally agree with his review of the 10 speed auto... when I test drove it I felt the same way and noted in another thread that I actually preferred the A6 in my 2015. Now that I have the manual 2018, I’m totally in love with the transmission and the even more in love with the Coyote. To each his own... there’s a lot of people here that love the A10... but I had the same feeling that it was searching too much and felt more like a CVT.

2018 Ford Mustang GT Long-Term Review | We love the 5.0L V8
Autoblog
https://apple.news/AWyAFE6RQTrmfrEKwYP1R-Q
Improved for 2018, a wonderful thing gets even better.The naturally aspirated ... Read the full story


Shared from Apple News

Sponsored

 

[w3rkn]

It works much better for the EB, than it does with the higher revving v8.

I honestly think it is a resolution problem. People are use to big shifts, instead of multiple small ones. The shifts & gears (themselves) don't matter, it is the RPM you are trying to maintain/achieve that matters.

People who drive manual can calculate/surmise the "where abouts" of exactly what RPM range they need for the next gear/situation. While Automatics "predict" and are many times wrong, leaving you unconnected or forcing you to use paddles to extract given results.


The A10 lacks a clutch... feathering in a gear can't be done, it use a torque converter. That lockup is out of driver's control.

 

[Arthonon]

I've had mine for about a week and am still breaking it in so I haven't revved real high, but I've been impressed with how smooth and responsive the 10-speed is. I wonder if it's because I got the car with 9 miles on it, and it "learned" my driving style first, and the review cars are still working from previous drivers' settings or something. I don't know if it's that sensitive, but I've been very happy with it so far.

 

[michail71]

I've had mine for about a week and am still breaking it in so I haven't revved real high, but I've been impressed with how smooth and responsive the 10-speed is. I wonder if it's because I got the car with 9 miles on it, and it "learned" my driving style first, and the review cars are still working from previous drivers' settings or something. I don't know if it's that sensitive, but I've been very happy with it so far.

Just wait till you take it up into the high rev range! That will be some fun.

It takes some time to learn a modern auto transmission. Both for the car and driver. Selecting modes, pusshing buttons and using paddles isn't as intuitive.

Out of any auto setup I've driven this one has been the most aggressive and quickest to respond. Usually I only need the paddles to up-shift after a brief heavy throttle application.

It was a toss up for me. I like manual but I wanted to take full advantage of the adaptive cruise control. At least I won't be worried about breaking a shifter fork. People seems to be breaking forks, TOBs, clutches, etc. like crazy on the 2018 MT. I had a Dodge once that needed a new clutch every 20K miles.

 

[wireeater]

I completely disagree. I've put 4500 miles on mine in the past month and I find the automatic to be extremely well geared. It's not even comparable to any non DCT transmission I've used. For a torque converter transmission, the performance it delivers is unmatched in any previous generation automatics.

The shifts are quick and the keep the car in the powerband pretty much at all times. I've put it through some of the hardest turns you can probably put a car through on public roads. Running the car in the correct drive mode is what makes the difference. When you put the car in "track" mode it will stay high into the revs, not searching for gears and when you use the brakes into turns it will downshift very quickly, keeping it into the high RPMS.

What I have noticed is the transmission doesn't like to be casual. If you aren't pushing the gas hard, it's going to shift slow on the paddles, it's going to shift slow going through the gears, it will shift hard occasional, but when you give it the power it needs it's very predictable, responsive and adaptive.

I was a manual purist and was in the group of "only manuals can be engaging and fun outside of drag racing"... eh, not really. I haven't regretting giving up my manuals gears at all. The sensation of how the power is delivered through the auto is not even comparable to the M6 on my last PP.

What I do think is gearing makes all the world difference in the A10. And if you don't have the 3.55 gears for daily driving, spirited sprints and tight corner cutting driving it's not engaging, at least not the one I tested. I wouldn't expect there to be such a big difference but there is and it's exactly what changed my mind in buying one.

 

[TnWHTMARE]

I completely disagree. I've put 4500 miles on mine in the past month and I find the automatic to be extremely well geared. It's not even comparable to any non DCT transmission I've used. For a torque converter transmission, the performance it delivers is unmatched in any previous generation automatics.

The shifts are quick and the keep the car in the powerband pretty much at all times. I've put it through some of the hardest turns you can probably put a car through on public roads. Running the car in the correct drive mode is what makes the difference. When you put the car in "track" mode it will stay high into the revs, not searching for gears and when you use the brakes into turns it will downshift very quickly, keeping it into the high RPMS.

What I have noticed is the transmission doesn't like to be casual. If you aren't pushing the gas hard, it's going to shift slow on the paddles, it's going to shift slow going through the gears, it will shift hard occasional, but when you give it the power it needs it's very predictable, responsive and adaptive.

I was a manual purist and was in the group of "only manuals can be engaging and fun outside of drag racing"... eh, not really. I haven't regretting giving up my manuals gears at all. The sensation of how the power is delivered through the auto is not even comparable to the M6 on my last PP.

What I do think is gearing makes all the world difference in the A10. And if you don't have the 3.55 gears for daily driving, spirited sprints and tight corner cutting driving it's not engaging, at least not the one I tested. I wouldn't expect there to be such a big difference but there is and it's exactly what changed my mind in buying one.

This ^. I agree 100%. I find that for 10 gears, the shift logic seems very intuitive. In my experience though, I wouldn't say it is the "smoothest" trans ive ever driven. Again, I agree that its not always the "smoothest" being driven casually. Especially on the up and down shift of 1st and 2nd. It can be rather abrupt actually and if there is anything at all that I don't like about it, it is that. But other wise...:hail:

 

[nastang87xx]

The 10R80 seems to be doing well but I do kinda wonder if it's too much. I've only driven the 10 speed in an F150 so I can't comment on romping a Mustang with it but I can understand their point of view. I've always though 8 gears is a good number as of now. ZF8 in the big Mopars is a boss.

 

[Cobra Jet]

I completely disagree. I've put 4500 miles on mine in the past month and I find the automatic to be extremely well geared. It's not even comparable to any non DCT transmission I've used. For a torque converter transmission, the performance it delivers is unmatched in any previous generation automatics.

The shifts are quick and the keep the car in the powerband pretty much at all times. I've put it through some of the hardest turns you can probably put a car through on public roads. Running the car in the correct drive mode is what makes the difference. When you put the car in "track" mode it will stay high into the revs, not searching for gears and when you use the brakes into turns it will downshift very quickly, keeping it into the high RPMS.

What I have noticed is the transmission doesn't like to be casual. If you aren't pushing the gas hard, it's going to shift slow on the paddles, it's going to shift slow going through the gears, it will shift hard occasional, but when you give it the power it needs it's very predictable, responsive and adaptive.

I was a manual purist and was in the group of "only manuals can be engaging and fun outside of drag racing"... eh, not really. I haven't regretting giving up my manuals gears at all. The sensation of how the power is delivered through the auto is not even comparable to the M6 on my last PP.

What I do think is gearing makes all the world difference in the A10. And if you don't have the 3.55 gears for daily driving, spirited sprints and tight corner cutting driving it's not engaging, at least not the one I tested. I wouldn't expect there to be such a big difference but there is and it's exactly what changed my mind in buying one.

I also agree 100% with your statements - and to date, I have almost 5,800 miles on mine since taking delivery in Feb.

The magaziners can’t post an accurate article about the S550 10R80 - because they only get their 1 day of seat time in it to prepare their biased articles based on that 1 day, or even in some instances, a coupe of hours (if that) of drive time before they are jumping into another vehicle to review.

If folks are debating an MT82 vs 10R80 they NEED to review the informative and detailed threads on this site from actual owners who have put miles on their 2018’s - NOT some magazine article “test driver” or posts by folks who don’t understand the 10R80.

I have posted nearly same comments as wireeater in a previous thread and it’s 100% true about having 3.55’s or better gearing mated up to the 10R80, because anything less doesn’t compare at all.

 

[Silver Bullitt]

I had quite a bit of seat time in an '18 EB Premium with the 10R80 and Performance Pack, so pretty sure it had 3.55's. I would agree that there is definitely a learning curve with the 10R80, and maybe after several thousand miles one could get accustomed to it, but based upon my week of seat time and about 700 miles, no way is it as fun as the MT82 for me. I'm 55 years old and have had 4 performance vehicles over the last 30 years, each one with a manual. Regardless of performance, and since it's not my daily driver, I just couldn't bring myself to get a car like this with an automatic transmission. Old habits die hard I guess.

 

[marks]

I haven't seen one review which prefers the 10 speed over the stick.

 

[Stangfan6818]

I haven't seen one review which prefers the 10 speed over the stick.

I have...

 

[Arthonon]

I had quite a bit of seat time in an '18 EB Premium with the 10R80 and Performance Pack, so pretty sure it had 3.55's. I would agree that there is definitely a learning curve with the 10R80, and maybe after several thousand miles one could get accustomed to it, but based upon my week of seat time and about 700 miles, no way is it as fun as the MT82 for me. I'm 55 years old and have had 4 performance vehicles over the last 30 years, each one with a manual. Regardless of performance, and since it's not my daily driver, I just couldn't bring myself to get a car like this with an automatic transmission. Old habits die hard I guess.

I'm also 55, and have had 5 cars that were at least somewhat sporty/performance cars (Dodge Daytona Turbo, Plymouth Laser RS, '04 SN95 Mustang, '14 S197 Mustang, and now an '18 S550 Mustang), and all but the '18 had manuals. Aside from the '14 and '18, they were all daily drivers.

It was a tough call for me on the auto for the '18, but all of the feedback made the auto sound pretty solid and the higher performer. Also, someone I work with got one, and I was able to drive it a few times and it seemed to work well. Thinking that maybe I would be driving it into my old age, and that it would be easier to sell later with the auto if that happened, I decided to go for it. So far, I am not disappointed. I do sometimes miss the manual, and reach down to shift before a pass, but I sink my foot into the gas and it just goes, which is pretty satisfying. I've been thinking about getting an older car with a manual just to have that fun when I want it, though.

 

[michail71]

I completely disagree. I've put 4500 miles on mine in the past month and I find the automatic to be extremely well geared. It's not even comparable to any non DCT transmission I've used. For a torque converter transmission, the performance it delivers is unmatched in any previous generation automatics.

The shifts are quick and the keep the car in the powerband pretty much at all times. I've put it through some of the hardest turns you can probably put a car through on public roads. Running the car in the correct drive mode is what makes the difference. When you put the car in "track" mode it will stay high into the revs, not searching for gears and when you use the brakes into turns it will downshift very quickly, keeping it into the high RPMS.

What I have noticed is the transmission doesn't like to be casual. If you aren't pushing the gas hard, it's going to shift slow on the paddles, it's going to shift slow going through the gears, it will shift hard occasional, but when you give it the power it needs it's very predictable, responsive and adaptive.

I was a manual purist and was in the group of "only manuals can be engaging and fun outside of drag racing"... eh, not really. I haven't regretting giving up my manuals gears at all. The sensation of how the power is delivered through the auto is not even comparable to the M6 on my last PP.

What I do think is gearing makes all the world difference in the A10. And if you don't have the 3.55 gears for daily driving, spirited sprints and tight corner cutting driving it's not engaging, at least not the one I tested. I wouldn't expect there to be such a big difference but there is and it's exactly what changed my mind in buying one.

At WOT the power band holds so nice I don't even notice most of the gears go by. It's a strange sensation, almost like a CVT.

 

[TnWHTMARE]

Over 15 muscle cars, 95% of them manual. For me, there is no way I would take a manual over the A10. I love it.

 

[BmacIL]

I can see why people buy the manual GT, 450bhp can get dangerous, and it's much easier keeping the car below 200bhp by using a high gear, even at WOT. Slow but sure and easy to drive with the Getrag 82. Ideal for beginners



Whereas the A10 will take you above 400bhp as soon as you go WOT. This is harder to drive, requiring more driving experience. One for the good drivers.

Uh, no? On what planet is any auto harder to drive than a manual?

Sponsored