A leaked document suggests we might see a 10-speed automatic Mustang. But do we really need it?

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Well based on my experience with a 2014 Jeep Cherokee I had (emphasis on HAD), with a nine speed transmission, no, because the nine speed was always shifting trying to find the right gear and had problems downshifting and sometimes accelerating. I was constantly at the dealer getting transmission updates that never really fixed the problems. Hopefully the 2016 Cherokees are a lot better. Bottom line is that if the Mustang gets a ten speed, I would not buy one for a couple of years so they can iron out all the bugs. Just my opinion though based on my experience with a nine speed transmission.

 

10 is a lot. I would say 7 or 8 would be plenty.

 

That's insane. I drove a new Fusion last year at the local dealer and the car couldn't find a gear to stay in. It was horrible and I told the dealership I would never buy one. Even if they sold it at half price I would turn around and sell the thing. This fuel economy nonsense (if that's the reason for this) has gone too far, to the point where you can't enjoy a smooth steady ride.

 

To be fair, from the reviews I've read, that FCA 9-speed is the worst of all the new 8, 9 or 10 gear transmissions. It seems unnecessary to me too but I'm willing to give Ford and GM the benefit of the doubt. Those are two smart companies that decided a 10 speed would be good for their most profitable products (trucks), as well as their most iconic ones (Mustang, Camaro, Corvette) so I have to think they'll be well-received.

 

Depends on who they go with, in house or third party. The FCA tranny you speak of is a ZF transmission, also used in Acura's, Honda's and Range Rovers.

 

We already know who they went with - it's an in-house design co-developed with GM.

 

The good thing is that the 10 speed will have a few years out in the wild to fine tune it before it gets to the Mustang.

 

Not that much. Comes out in the '17 Raptor and apparently will be in '18 Mustang...

 

A mustang with an automatic? If I bought one of those I would have to let my wife drive it then.

 

Waits for the drum beat thump..
Crickets

 

Once you get past 6 speeds there is no advantage to more gears IMO.
They are working to get better MPGs to meet CAFE.
It is either more gears or CVT to do that.
It is not being done for the customer's comfort.

 

Exactly. The customers don't want it but the Mustang needs it if it wants to continue to become more efficient. If it doesnt Ford will have to cut the less fuel efficient models from the line in order to comply with CAFE. Its a part of the reason why the ecoboost is important, to keep the average fuel economy up so we can have models like the GT350

 

Yes it must have a 10 speed transmission. It absolutely must. That way you can only get it serviced and worked on at the local Ford dealer and when it goes out it will cost you a small fortune to fix. Therefore it must.

 

Until I put a BAMA SCT tune on my Mustang, the auto drove me nuts. It shifts great now and no longer shifts up/down/up/down like it did with the stock tune.

My wife's Focus with the 2.0 and (6 speed? auto) worries me when I drive it. It seems to have a hard time deciding on what gear to be in.

I would be afraid to buy a 10 speed Mustang

 

And no dipstick

Wtf

God forbid we could check our own fluid level

 

Yeah, ask the Tacoma guys about not having a dipstick. They have trucks showing up that have low transmission fluid from the factory and the owner has no idea until the truck starts shifting irregularly. And of course the only way to add fluid is, tadaaaa, take it to the dealership.

 

Wow didn't know that wasn't on some newer vehicles. I know I'm older but that was my job as a kid before we took any long trips. My job was to check all of the vehicles fluid levels and report back to dad that everything was ok.

 

Sealed transmissions have been the norm on most vehicles for years now.

 

My 2010 Raptor was the first vehicle I ever owned with a sealed transmission

I asked a ford service tech about it and his idea was other than having to come to dealer for work that ford engineers didn't trust the owners to check their own transmission fluid level because of course you need to do it with the transmission warm and after making shifts to make sure level is right

People would just check it cold and then overfill it because the level would be wrong