When it was announced that the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 would not be offered with a “normal” manual transmission but instead with a dual clutch style unit, we were mildly freaked out. It was for a couple of reasons. The first was the easy one. It is just fun to row the gears in a car on your own. The second was a little more comprehensive. If they stop offering the manual on this car, that’s basically a sign that in a short amount of time, it will not be available on any Mustang, right? Probably. Then we started thinking about the implications for TREMEC and the aftermarket in general. That changed when we got some information from TREMEC about the unit their are building for the car. The company has evolved into this market and as long as they are cranking these babies out, they will be cranking out the gear boxes that hot rodders love to swap as well.
We have driven loads of cars with DCT transmissions and when operated manually, they are ridiculous fun. Why? They shift on command and they shift in an infinitesimal amount of time. Some of them are almost telepathic, shifting nearly quicker than it takes to release the paddle to select a gear.
Nothing will replace the traditional stick but we’re way less freaked knowing a little more about this TREMEC DCT.
Here’s the full story from TREMEC – what do you think? DCT better than a stick?
The heart of Shelby GT500 performance begins with a 700-plus-horsepower 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine. It’s mated to an ultra-fast TREMEC 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and calibrated by Ford Performance with state-of-the-art drive mode technologies. As the most powerful production Mustang ever, the Shelby GT500 powertrain is the primary enabler for the ultimate performance that follows.
When it arrives this fall, the most powerful street-legal Ford vehicle in history is projected to post mid-three-second 0-60 mph times and sub-11-second quarter-mile times for the quickest acceleration ever in a road-going Mustang.
A hand-built double-overhead-cam engine shares the aluminum block, bore and stroke of the Shelby GT350’s, adding block and head structure, improved oil and cooling capacity, plus a cross-plane crank to support its higher horsepower.
Helping to deliver more than 700 horsepower is a 2.65-liter supercharger. A unique roots-type compressor features an inverted design with charged air output at the top for more compact packaging – one that allows for a larger air-to-liquid intercooler for consistent track performance.
“With its supercar-level powertrain, the all-new Shelby GT500 takes the sixth-generation Mustang to a performance level once reserved only for exotics,” said Hermann Salenbauch, global director, Ford Performance vehicle programs. “As a Mustang, it has to be attainable and punch above its weight. To that end, we’ve set a new standard among American performance cars with our most powerful street-legal V8 engine to date, plus the quickest-shifting transmission ever in a Mustang for all-out precision and speed.”
I think this is the effect of all the globalization bullshit we’re seeing in the auto industry if you want to play in the world markets this what the domestics have to do . Don’t all those exotic super cars have setups like this ? That said I’d love to have either if I could afford them .
It\’s the effect of DCTs being faster. No global conspiracy. Plus, these high end, near supercars are bought by rich pricks who likely wanted it to be a convertible and have an automatic.
I will buy stick as long as its available. I want to feel that motor.
Unfortunately, \”flappy paddles\” have overtaken standards.
Automatics have been known to be “better” for decades it seems (if fractions of seconds matter).
But what is more fun? What Grant said. I want to feel the motor as well
Wow, what an in depth analysis. I\’m totally floored by this exhaustive treatise on the Tremec DCT… /roll
It\’s a sad sad day in the USA when you can\’t get a manual transmission in a Shelby gt 500 or an F250 dam I miss the 90\’s
JUNK ! What\’s next ? Ask google to shift for me? Come on America! Men have balls and a mustang should have a stick !
I am sick to my stomach! Hold my beer !
All you old hats scared of the automatic. Haha you buy a manual if you wanna lose. It\’s not fractions if a second either. It\’s full on seconds. Average professionally driven manual shifter is half a second. 4 gears in and you lost by seconds. Half mile and 1/4 mile racing thousand hp cars has no room for manuals. Clunky, slow and maintenance nightmares.
So true. Just have to look at the 2019 Mustang GT 5.0L where the 6-speed manual cannot beat the 10-speed automatic in a straight line drag race. Why? Simply because the automatic is ALWAYS accelerating, whereas the manual, no matter HOW GOOD the driver is, will always not be accelerating between shifts. The Tremec is the best of both worlds. Hey, look at Pro Stock drag racing; you don\’t see them depressing the clutch between shifts, do you?
Hi Kids , are we talking about the Mustang , average or above average drivers on the street or are we talking about drag racing? My opinion is buy what you like , but manuals will , like old tires , fall by the wayside in lieu of efficiency and technology. Sad , but there\’s millions of Muncie 4 speeds and people ready to restore them. And the price of restoring is allot but in the end you\’ll have something special. Anyone can buy a NEW Mustang!!
You mean “anyone with money” can buy a new Mustang; well, at least the GT500 anyway. I might be able to afford a base Mustang but not much more.
That’s ” the full story from TREMEC” ?