Automatic or Manual?

[armyGT]

My 2024 GT Premium is an A-10 Auto. After owning two Shelby Mustangs and four BULLITT Mustangs with sticks, I can say that the A-10 is great to drive. The Shelby's 2008 and 2010 were animals to drive, stiff clutches, notchy shifts. The BULLITTS continued to improve from 2001 to 2020. They weren't perfect.
Because of my age and where I drive, the A-10 is better suited for me.
And I know if a 2024/2025 stick wants to race, I'll have no problems getting to the next stop light.
Again, it's a personal preference. It's where you drive, and what you use the car for during the week.
I had fun with both transmissions.
Don't discount the A-10 in TRACK MODE...it's an animal.

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[SweptVolume]

Rev matching/auto blipping? Real men heel and toe.

I absolutely love heel and toeing my manuals. The Mazda MX5 I had a couple of years ago was just perfectly set up to do amazing heel and toe downshifts. My daily shopping car - a Suzuki Swift - is also pretty good for it.

But I just can't do it in the Mustang; the brake pedal is too high and the throttle too low, so with its huge Brembo braking power, I'd go through the windscreen trying to reach the throttle.

I love blipping the throttle on downshifts, but true heel and toe I can't do. How do others find the pedal layout for this in the Mustang?

 

[Dxm]

When I was buying my first Mustang in 2007, I didn't even think about manual transmission. Then my dad said "if you're buying a sports car, it's gotta be manual". So I took a driving lesson and suffered for several months, practicing not stalling out. Afterwards, I have no issue driving stick. It's all about correct technique, and even how to use the arm when shifting gears. For example, if you go into 5th/6th gear with improper technique of the right hand, you'll get sore. You need to "push" the gear shifter into gear as opposed to "pull" it.

Lots of videos of manual vs. auto. Manual is more of a flex nowadays, it doesn't have any performance advantages. I find that since driving manual, I pay attention to the road more, and anticipate the road ahead more. For example, I see traffic slowing down in the distance, I downshift. Whereas before I would just accelerate/decelerate at the last second.

Manual is a major pain in the ass on hills, or when you're stuck in traffic on a hill it could be torture.

So IMO, while they still make manual transmissions, just buy it. It won't be around for much longer. It's cool, it's different, it's a flex, and it deters car theft somewhat.

 

[kinelisch]

Agree on the manual. I have had 2 S650s. One Auto and now the Manual. Manual is way superior in satisfaction in rowing your own gears and listening to this glorious V8.

 

[Starship Enterprise]

Manual is awesome, unless you have back and shoulder problems. So A10 for me.

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