Ford Mustang is a superb muscle car with top-level performance. It’s the best automobile production by Ford as it gave the best result in the straight-line speed test. However, people get confused when it comes to its transmission. They do ask, “are all Mustangs stick-shift” and anticipate a detailed answer.
Mustangs are available in automatic as well as manual transmissions because if you see the newer Mustang models, you can easily say that it’s no more a muscle car. Instead, the newer Ford Mustangs give an unbelievably sporty performance. For that reason, it’s important to know what’s the difference between an automatic and a manual Ford Mustang.
Ford Mustang Muscle And Sports Version
If you love muscle cars and are looking to buy a Ford Mustang, you need to know about the performance of the latest models. In other words, you should first decide whether you want to buy the old-school muscle car model like the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 or the sports version like Mustang GT Fastback.
Apparently, both models look the same. You might not see the difference from the outside because Ford didn’t make the body of newer Mustangs slim. However, you will find the reduced weight with the same bulkiness.
Now, the big difference lies in the transmission.
Mustang’s Transmission
Back in the past, when there was no Mustang sports version, everyone loved the muscle performance of the Mustang’s manual transmission. The stick shift was indeed way ahead of the automatic transmission in terms of speed, shifting gears, and fuel consumption.
But when Ford launched the core sports version of Mustang, it caught the attention of the car fanatics because now they could enjoy the automatic transmission with the top-class handling in the newer models.
Moreover, the recent technology in the Mustang’s transmissions has made it possible to hit the top speed using the automatic gearing system.
But that’s not a final verdict because there are a number of veteran drivers who prefer nothing over the manual transmission when it comes to the legend of the Ford Mustang.
Have a look at the Automatic Transmission Shift Lever Compatible with Select Ford Models.
Manual Ford Mustang
No doubt, driving a car with a stick shift gives a cool vibe. You have total control over your car. Putting one hand on the gear shaft while keeping the other on the wheel gives the true feeling of driving a car.
The same goes with the Mustang having a manual transmission.
If you want to enjoy every moment of driving your car, you should go for the Mustang with a manual transmission. That gives the purest form of muscle car driving. Therefore, it’s the manual transmission that gives the utmost satisfaction and makes you fall for the manual Ford Mustang.
The standard gearbox of a manual Mustang is what drivers like the most. Moreover, you have to be versatile while driving a Mustang with manual transmission. Why?
You have to keep an eye on the RPMs because that’s the main aspect of shifting gears. When the engine reaches a certain threshold, that’s when you need to change the gears to hit the perfect shift.
Besides, that’s the main part missing from the automatic transmission.
Automatic Ford Mustang
With the use of recent automobile technology, all vehicles with automatic transmission are considered to be faster than manual ones.
First, it allows the car to shift gears on its own without any human intervention. You don’t have to depress the clutch and then shift the gear. The modern automatic transmission takes care of that.
Second, the automatic transmission in Mustangs is quicker in hitting the perfect shift. So now you don’t have to worry about looking at the tachometer and waiting for the engine to reach its peak. The cutting-edge technology in the automatic transmission senses when it’s the best time to shift the gear.
Therefore, it’s true that not only Ford Mustang but almost all automatic vehicles are taking over the stick-shift cars.
Moreover, you might see the dominance of automatic cars on the residential roads, racing tracks, and even on deserted lands by the year 2030.
Manual vs. Automatic Transmission
The following table gives a brief comparison by highlighting the pros and cons of manual vs automatic transmission.
| Manual Transmission | |
| Pros | Cons |
| Real Driver’s Feeling | Difficult to Learn |
| Fun to Drive | Tiring While Driving in Traffic |
| More Control Over Your Car | Shifting Gears Causes Fatigue in Long Drives |
| More Powerful | Must Remain Focused on RPMs |
| Better Fuel-Consumption | Bad Gear Shifting Affects Clutch and Gearbox |
| Affordable Maintenance | Manual Cars are Rarely Available |
| Automatic Transmission | |
| Pros | Cons |
| Faster Gear Shifting | Less Fun to Drive |
| No Clutch (in most automatic cars) | No Control Over Transmission |
| Need to Shift Gears Once in a While | Boring for Some Drivers |
| Simple to Learn | Automatic Vehicles are Expensive |
| Resale is Easy | Poor Fuel-Consumption |
| Best for Daily Driving on Long Routes | Higher Maintenance Cost |
Ford Mustang Modification
Regardless of the transmission, there are a plethora of modification options for your Ford Mustang. Since the initial models were muscle cars, the bulkiness of the body was usually lessened by using carbon fiber add-ons.
Moreover, the newer sports models have allowed you to modify the Mustang in multiple ways. You can check out the Ford Racing M5300K Lowering Spring Kit to perform better on straight roads.
Besides, there are other options available, including a cold air intake kit, exhaust system, paddle shifter, and suspension for your Mustang.
You can add or replace these auto parts and enhance the performance of your Ford Mustang for daily driving or drag racing.
Final Verdict
If you are looking to run your Mustang on straight roads and need a faster transmission, go for the automatic Ford Mustang. That will give you consistent perfect shifts without worrying about the engine’s performance. But keep in mind that the automatic transmission requires more fuel.
On the other hand, get the Mustang with the standard gearbox if you want to enjoy the true essence of driving a car. That will give you better fuel consumption and lower maintenance costs as well.
Hello Automotive Gear Lovers!
Sourav Biswas is here! I write for the VehicleOnly Automotive Blog and am passionate about automotive tools. I am also a publisher on Amazon & Medium.
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