CEO Jim Farley: They'll have to rip the Mustang's stick shift 'out of our cold, dead hands'

[Ken H.]

I got one too. Love it.

Storage tray mat.

Sponsored

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Sorry, you’re wrong… had it and it was lifeless, especially if it’s your fun car and not a daily.
Mustangs wouldn’t still be here if it wasn’t for that manual v8 … that’s a fact.
So respect the manual!
Don’t get me wrong; It’s totally fine if you choose an auto but it’s never going to be as cool as a manual!

Sorry he's wrong about not being bored?

You had a shit transmission which was a common complaint on the S550s and especially the Mach 1s due to poor tuning. The S650s aren't like that. Ive had both and im not remotely board by mine either. My A10 is noticeably faster off the line than my Tremec was. And it wasnt even close compared to the MT82. Puts a smile on my face every time. So Im glad you like your stick, but all this dick measuring over a transmission is getting real old. I own 3 sports cars and 2 are manuals. Both are great. Ive never felt the need to tell a stranger they are wrong for what they like.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Back on topic....

Farley can say what ever he wants. This isn't a new revelation. He and Ford have been saying they will keep the V8 and manual transmission for the last couple years. And while I genuinely hope they do, Farley also contradicts himself regularly and I don't trust him as far as I can throw him. Time will tell.

 

[GooberDH]

I'm glad they're keeping the owner's manual inside the Mustang...

...oh wait.

RIP in peace, Jim.

 

[Q6543]

I’d love for them to put a sequential in. Then the gear jammerz can have their feels without the disgusting loss between shifts.

 

[Alan Applegate]

Q6543: I agree, and Ford could do this easily. After all, the Ranger version has a trailer setting which forces the 10R80 to always shift through the first four gears. This is plenty enough for a 1/4 mile.

 

[ChitownStang]

Sorry he's wrong about not being bored?

You had a shit transmission which was a common complaint on the S550s and especially the Mach 1s due to poor tuning. The S650s aren't like that. Ive had both and im not remotely board by mine either. My A10 is noticeably faster off the line than my Tremec was. And it wasnt even close compared to the MT82. Puts a smile on my face every time. So Im glad you like your stick, but all this dick measuring over a transmission is getting real old. I own 3 sports cars and 2 are manuals. Both are great. Ive never felt the need to tell a stranger they are wrong for what they like.

Yeah, that wasn’t nice of me… may of been the bourbon talking.

 

[RJW]

Sorry he's wrong about not being bored?

You had a shit transmission which was a common complaint on the S550s and especially the Mach 1s due to poor tuning. The S650s aren't like that. Ive had both and im not remotely board by mine either. My A10 is noticeably faster off the line than my Tremec was. And it wasnt even close compared to the MT82. Puts a smile on my face every time. So Im glad you like your stick, but all this dick measuring over a transmission is getting real old. I own 3 sports cars and 2 are manuals. Both are great. Ive never felt the need to tell a stranger they are wrong for what they like.

Yeah, it's kind of like telling someone that they are wrong for liking a certain piece of music or type of food. We all like what we like, and it doesn't mean someone is wrong for liking something we don't. Although I admit, every time I see some jacked-up pickup with a Carolina squat, I do presume that the owner is mentally defective.

 

[RJW]

As for the future of the manual transmission in the Mustang, I do wonder about the economics of continuing to have two different 6-speed manual transmissions, the Getrag MT-82 in the GT, and the Tremec TR-3160 in the Dark Horse. Once this whole tariff war settles out, I wouldn't be surprised if we have high tariffs on automotive products from China (where the Getrag is made), and we go back to zero tariffs on automotive products from Mexico (where the Tremec is made). Will the cost difference still be enough to keep using them both? Or might Ford just use the Tremec for both models and stop importing the Getrag? Or maybe keep the Getrag for the regular GT, but use the Tremec in the Performance Package?

 

[robvas]

As for the future of the manual transmission in the Mustang, I do wonder about the economics of continuing to have two different 6-speed manual transmissions, the Getrag MT-82 in the GT, and the Tremec TR-3160 in the Dark Horse. Once this whole tariff war settles out, I wouldn't be surprised if we have high tariffs on automotive products from China (where the Getrag is made), and we go back to zero tariffs on automotive products from Mexico (where the Tremec is made). Will the cost difference still be enough to keep using them both? Or might Ford just use the Tremec for both models and stop importing the Getrag? Or maybe keep the Getrag for the regular GT, but use the Tremec in the Performance Package?

I'd like to see the internal reasons on why they use both.Or why they don't just use one. Interestingly, they don't charge $1595 anymore to replace the manual with the 10R80.

 

[Ken H.]

Yeah, that wasn’t nice of me… may of been the bourbon talking.

Been there done that.

 

[agreywolfe]

I'd like to see the internal reasons on why they use both.Or why they don't just use one. Interestingly, they don't charge $1595 anymore to replace the manual with the 10R80.

probably cost, contrary to what people may think the MT-82 is way older than people think, Fords been using it outside the US since 2004. so its cheaper to keep using whats already been done and paid for R&D wise. as for why they keep using Tremec for higher specs, probably to maintain that partnership since Tremec historically powered a lot of mustangs from the S197 base GT through the GTD today.

 

[GeekGT5.0]

https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-ne...be-pulled-out-of-our-cold-dead-hands-says-ceo

Ford Mustang manual will be pulled “out of our cold dead hands”, says CEO

Ford CEO Jim Farley said the automaker will keep making the iconic rear-wheel-drive Mustang sports car with a manual gearbox for as long as possible.

Speaking to Australian media including CarExpert at the 2026 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne, the Ford CEO said: “Out of our cold, dead hands will we not have a manual Mustang.”

GenX's knees are getting old ask me how i know, Once GenX is old, manuals will go the way of the dodo bird. GenZ can't drive them, doesn't care for manuals. Millennials only like the nostalgia of them and doesn't daily them (some do, it's extremely rare, if you're a millennial that dailies a manual you are in the 0.1% of your generation). Today's auto 10sp's spank them all at the track.

Manuals are more fun, when you actually get to use them, but cars are so powerful now, it's literally a 1-2-3-6. wow that's fun. Manuals were the most fun when we had 225-325hp tops.

I'm just sayin.... When GenX is done with manuals and that buying power dries up. Manuals are done. And since us GenX'ers are silent. You won't even hear about it happening. Dare I say it's already starting. I and lots of other GenX'ers moved on to autos because we actually go to the track where performance matters.

Manuals will die with GenX. There I said it.

 

[Dave2013M3]

GenX's knees are getting old ask me how i know, Once GenX is old, manuals will go the way of the dodo bird. GenZ can't drive them, doesn't care for manuals. Millennials only like the nostalgia of them and doesn't daily them (some do, it's extremely rare, if you're a millennial that dailies a manual you are in the 0.1% of your generation). Today's auto 10sp's spank them all at the track.

Manuals are more fun, when you actually get to use them, but cars are so powerful now, it's literally a 1-2-3-6. wow that's fun. Manuals were the most fun when we had 225-325hp tops.

I'm just sayin.... When GenX is done with manuals and that buying power dries up. Manuals are done. And since us GenX'ers are silent. You won't even hear about it happening. Dare I say it's already starting. I and lots of other GenX'ers moved on to autos because we actually go to the track where performance matters.

Manuals will die with GenX. There I said it.

Both my boys drive manuals. However they are rare even among their friends. They are 21 and 24.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

GenX's knees are getting old ask me how i know, Once GenX is old, manuals will go the way of the dodo bird. GenZ can't drive them, doesn't care for manuals. Millennials only like the nostalgia of them and doesn't daily them (some do, it's extremely rare, if you're a millennial that dailies a manual you are in the 0.1% of your generation). Today's auto 10sp's spank them all at the track.

Manuals are more fun, when you actually get to use them, but cars are so powerful now, it's literally a 1-2-3-6. wow that's fun. Manuals were the most fun when we had 225-325hp tops.

I'm just sayin.... When GenX is done with manuals and that buying power dries up. Manuals are done. And since us GenX'ers are silent. You won't even hear about it happening. Dare I say it's already starting. I and lots of other GenX'ers moved on to autos because we actually go to the track where performance matters.

Manuals will die with GenX. There I said it.

I know a lot of millennials that like manuals. And I know a lot of GenXers that like autos. Its not a generational thing. Its a technological advancement thing. Autos are faster and get better gas mileage. Thats whats killing the manual transmission. Its just a matter of time. 10-15 years from now Farley won't be at Ford anymore and it either won't matter what he says.

Irregardless, im glad they are here to stay for the short term future.

Sponsored