Things you'd like to see added to this gen or in the next gen Mustang

[NoVaGT]

Yes, yes it is. Until someone can point to a sactioning body that clearly defines the term. Go ahead and say it's a "Grand Tourer". GT's are considered a subset of sports cars.

We're talking old-school descriptions here, when a sports car was a Triumph, Lotus, MG, etc.

Mustangs are currently GTs/Sports Coupes, and they used to be Pony Cars. Never really a sports car. Although an argument might be made that the Fox body cars got closest to being a Sports car.

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[Bikeman315]

It's interesting how Mustangs are different things to different people. But really, it's a Pony Car, which is quite it's own thing. Measuring it against others, it's a Sports Coupe Grand Tourer.

But when people call it a Muscle Car? Good grief, my eyes roll back into my head.

So true. It's also depends on your age group. 30 somethings and 60 somethings tend to see the same thing with a different perspective.

Now to a 60 something a muscle car is a GTO, Chevelle SS or my old 66' Fairlane GTA. Even when Ford started stuffing big blocks into the Mustang back in the sixties we didn't consider them muscle cars. They were pony cars, period.

But it is now 2020 and looking back over 55 years of Mustangs I think it is fair to call it a sports car. Maybe not my idea of one, but in reality it is.

 

[martinjlm]

I wish I could find the graphic our Market Segmentation people at GM used when I was still there. Maybe I’ll try to draw it from memory. Picture a Venn diagram where “Sports Car” is the largest circle. Subsets within that larger circle included

• Standard sport (Miata, BRZ, 370Z)
• Mid-sized sport (Mustang, Camaro, Supra)
• Premium sport (Corvette, Cayman)
• Exotic sport (911, Ferrari, McLaren, etc)

Sometimes they overlapped and a vehicle would fall within the overlap. For example, Mustang and Camaro would be in the overlap of Mid-sized and Premium because of models like Shelby and ZL1. But they would both fall predominantly under Mid-sized.

Terms like Grand Touring, Muscle Car, Roadster were considered descriptors, not specific market segments.

 

[Norm Peterson]

7SPD manual. The MT82-D4 has gearing that takes the fun out of the car. Go back to the original gearing, then add a 7th gear for highway cruising.

Best place for any added gear would be midway between the original MT82's 1.00:1 5th and the 0.65 6th.


Norm

 

[NoVaGT]

Best place for any added gear would be midway between the original MT82's 1.00:1 5th and the 0.65 6th.


Norm

Maybe for the track. But for daily driving the original MT82s with the 3.73s on the PP1 cars needed a taller top gear. Really, they should have kept 1-5 as they were, and just made 6th taller.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Maybe for the track. But for daily driving the original MT82s with the 3.73s on the PP1 cars needed a taller top gear. Really, they should have kept 1-5 as they were, and just made 6th taller.

Making 6th taller just makes it less likely that you'll use it in daily driving. There's plenty of situations where you want a more relaxed cruise than what a 1.00:1 5th gives you but where, say, an 0.50:1 6th would be too tall. Dropping back from 3000 to 2000 is a big enough rpm drop as it is, 3000 down to 1500 on the highway would just be too much.


Norm

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

I'll give everyone a fair warning right now that what I'm about to ask may be heresy...

Would it be too much to ask for a manual transmission that helps you learn how to drive a manual before buying the car? Or if dealerships really want business, offer stick-shift classes for newcomers/beginners/people who haven't used manuals in years and need/want help getting reacquainted with them again?

Who am I kidding? The second option might be more feasible than the first. I think for me, the fear/anxiety of stalling and precise timing (in my mind) between the clutch and gas pedal kills any desire for me to consider buying a manual transmission vehicle as a daily.

 

[NoVaGT]

Making 6th taller just makes it less likely that you'll use it in daily driving. There's plenty of situations where you want a more relaxed cruise than what a 1.00:1 5th gives you but where, say, an 0.50:1 6th would be too tall. Dropping back from 3000 to 2000 is a big enough rpm drop as it is, 3000 down to 1500 on the highway would just be too much.


Norm

Not for me.

Cruising on the freeway, it should be right at 1500RPM at 70MPH, or around there.

2018s + do that quite well. 2015s-17s used too many RPMs cruising on the freeway.

So it's time to add a 7th gear.

 

[NoVaGT]

I'll give everyone a fair warning right now that what I'm about to ask may be heresy...

Would it be too much to ask for a manual transmission that helps you learn how to drive a manual before buying the car? Or if dealerships really want business, offer stick-shift classes for newcomers/beginners/people who haven't used manuals in years and need/want help getting reacquainted with them again?

Who am I kidding? The second option might be more feasible than the first. I think for me, the fear/anxiety of stalling and precise timing (in my mind) between the clutch and gas pedal kills any desire for me to consider buying a manual transmission vehicle as a daily.

Real men learn to drive stick like everyone else; trial and error, in a parking lot or cornfield. Maybe on your neighbor's lawn after a few cold-snacks. And by understanding what is happening mechanically.

Real men also don't have fear/anxiety. That's women's stuff. Men are either horny, hungry or angry, that's it. Three options, the rest can go screw.

 

[Bikeman315]

I'll give everyone a fair warning right now that what I'm about to ask may be heresy...

Would it be too much to ask for a manual transmission that helps you learn how to drive a manual before buying the car? Or if dealerships really want business, offer stick-shift classes for newcomers/beginners/people who haven't used manuals in years and need/want help getting reacquainted with them again?

Who am I kidding? The second option might be more feasible than the first. I think for me, the fear/anxiety of stalling and precise timing (in my mind) between the clutch and gas pedal kills any desire for me to consider buying a manual transmission vehicle as a daily.

No, no, no, no, no. You cannot put training wheels on a transmission. It's like anything else in life, the journey is the most fun. First off it's really not that difficult. The learning curve to get you going day to day is short and easy.

Go talk to your dealer. Tell them you are interested in a M6 car and ask if they have something for you to "take around the block". I bet after just a few minutes you will be shifting like a pro. OK, maybe not a pro but good enough to buy one.

 

[Bikeman315]

I learned to drive stick by getting in a shouting match with my dad and just figuring it out

I was working for a Toyota dealership back in the 80's. My boss and I had to go to an off site lot to pick up some new cars. I wanted to drive the Land Cruiser but it had a stick. My boss told me how to do it, a few minutes practicing in the lot and off I want. I never found out who bought that truck.

 

[Bikeman315]

Real men learn to drive stick like everyone else; trial and error, in a parking lot or cornfield. Maybe on your neighbor's lawn after a few cold-snacks. And by understanding what is happening mechanically.

Real men also don't have fear/anxiety. That's women's stuff. Men are either horny, hungry or angry, that's it. Three options, the rest can go screw.

 

[sotek2345]

I'll give everyone a fair warning right now that what I'm about to ask may be heresy...

Would it be too much to ask for a manual transmission that helps you learn how to drive a manual before buying the car? Or if dealerships really want business, offer stick-shift classes for newcomers/beginners/people who haven't used manuals in years and need/want help getting reacquainted with them again?

Who am I kidding? The second option might be more feasible than the first. I think for me, the fear/anxiety of stalling and precise timing (in my mind) between the clutch and gas pedal kills any desire for me to consider buying a manual transmission vehicle as a daily.

Learning really isn't that hard - you get the feel really fast. I learned at 17 after buying a manual '91 dodge daytona and having to drive it home for the first time (never driven a stick before then). By the time I got home, I was confident enough for cruising around. There doesn't have to be any precise timing - go as slow as you want (just not riding the clutch) when you are starting out. Beyond that the timing is actually similar to riding a bike - push with 1 foot while lifting the other!

As for new things - I think ford should lean in to the toggle switchs. Make them bi-directional and add some up top for the map lights. My wife's Mini has this and it is nice.

 

[Fly2High]

I had a driving school 'teach' me. They offered driver instruction in a manual. Odd thing was, I did not need it. I saw enough of my father and aunt drive a manual that I just picked it up. I went to a stop sign and then up a hill and the guy told me to go to a coffee shop and refused my money.

Then, I purchased a manual and without insurance, plate or registration, took it around the block a few times.

You can and will learn especially if you have no other choice. I am sure if you buy one, someone from a local car club would be willing to help out. It won't take long... unless you are my wife!! She could cause a manual to buck like crazy going downhill. Still not sure how she did it. Gratefully, that car was already done with and was being donated so I didn't care what happened to it. Never tried again. My sister picked it up within 15-20 min in a flat parking lot. No problem.

Have confidence. you will learn. You do not need to learn how to double clutch nor how to heal and toe to drive a stick. They will come later.

Once you learn, you will never go back!!

 

[Fly2High]

Learning really isn't that hard - you get the feel really fast. I learned at 17 after buying a manual '91 dodge daytona and having to drive it home for the first time (never driven a stick before then). By the time I got home, I was confident enough for cruising around. There doesn't have to be any precise timing - go as slow as you want (just not riding the clutch) when you are starting out. Beyond that the timing is actually similar to riding a bike - push with 1 foot while lifting the other!

As for new things - I think ford should lean in to the toggle switchs. Make them bi-directional and add some up top for the map lights. My wife's Mini has this and it is nice.

You too!!. I had an '86 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z!! still love that car. It was the Dodge that I took around the block.

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