Have no regrets with buying automatic, sport mode is a great feature and fun to drive in.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you all like the auto but this conversation lacks appreciation for the technical reasons why the auto 6r80 is a great choice. No one here so far has mentioned the one thing that's actually making the Mustang automatic ( 6R80 - yes this is the model of the transmission ) a fun option for this car: The TORQUE CONVERTER and it's LOCK UP CLUTCH. Developments on these 2 parts have come a very long way and none ever mentions one iota about it.

In 2013 Ford added the select shift feature to the 6R80 in the Mustang. The other very significant factor with this change is that while the transmission is in select shift mode, 2nd gear shifts receive a torque converter lockup clutch engagement. That's right, direct drive in 2nd gear in an automatic. I'm sure Ford made some improvement to the torque converter for 2013+ to allow for this. Note that 2nd gear will only get a lock-up clutch engagement when in select shift mode. The clutch doesn't lock up outside of select shift mode for 2nd gear. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th gears all do receive lockup clutch engagements in normal mode in most all situations ( there are exceptions for these gears ). Ford obviously doesn't want that clutch engagement to happen so much that people tear up the clutch. It's my strong assumption that the clutch under-goes a higher amount of stress for 2nd gear lockups than it does for other gears. Possibly due to the leverage the ratio has on it. I'm sure that's why they only let it happen in select shift mode. I would agree with the designers if they said that this design limit is realistic. Whoever designed the 6R80, my hat goes off to the individual(s). Great product. I won't say that about too many Ford products!

2nd gear shift torque converter clutch lockups have been unheard of in most cars for a very long time and this concept is typically only found in exotic cars made in Europe. No one even noticed all this or even ever talks about. Very, very sad. Why even give it to the masses if they're never going to talk about it, appreciate it or even notice it at all?

The 2013 lock up clutch changes I'm sure carried over to the 6R80 for 2015+ and I'm assuming they even made further improvements to the 2 parts for 2015.

The above is why the 6R80 auto is a far better choice than the Mt82 and Ford's **** manual transmission clutch designs. Might as well throw the MT82 in the garbage.

 

Thanks.

Any links where someone could confirm this and maybe get more details? It sounds like it is effectively as good as a DCT other than the time it takes to shift.

But still can't go with it since Performance Package is manual trans only.

 

Short and sweet:

Get the 3.55 rear axle

Normal mode sucks (functions more like economy mode, you'll hate it).

Sport+ mode is great for racing and driving above 55 (don't listen to lies about 6th gear being locked out) but too aggressive for city driving in my opinion (lot of engine breaking, rpm will never drop below ~2000rpm unless you come to a complete stop, lower gears will hold following an aggressive throttle until you drive at a cruising speed, then it will upshift)

Track mode is Sport+ with reduced traction (not off, but lessened) so that WOT's experience no lag.

Because Normal is too weak and Sport & Track are too aggressive for city driving imo, get a custom tune which will not only add ~30 or more HP to the car but improve throttle and sharpen your shifts in normal mode.

I avoided a canned tune, so I added a catback exhaust and cold air intake before my tune giving it at least 40+ HP. Car is a monster beast now!

 

 

Can you clarify? If I'm reading this correctly, you're telling me the comments I've made are BS. If so, what specifically is BS?

 

What you said can be taken two ways. One is that you gained 40HP from intake and catback before getting a tune which can't be true. The other is that you gained 40HP with intake, catback AND a tune which is possible.

 

Fair, I just read back what I wrote, not sure why I was trying to say what I'm about to clarify but what I was trying to say was, the tune was done after the upgrades were installed and together produced 40+. I'm basing this off the fact that factory automatic produces less whp than the manual since I didn't get it dyno'ed before to see the before/after.

 

So if you didn't dyno the car before you have no proof then. Just an assumption.

 

Assumption, just basing this off of some of stock dyno numbers for this car. My peak HP now is 405 and I can pull away from Stock 2015 Camaro SS's effortlessly. Take what you want from this. Although it sounds to me that you'll just trying to justify not getting a tune.

 

Like I said, nothing to back up said gains. Just an assumption.

 

I had 405 whp after my upgrades. Not sure precisely what a stock s550 automatic produces. Thanks for thinking the stock s550 produces a lot of whp.

 

Interesting info, but couple questions guys. If you had to chose between a base automatic with a couple of options and a premium manual with no other options which would you get? The only reasons I really want the premium is for the my color and the drive modes (mostly for winter driving), but if I were to get the automatic it should do a little better in cold, slippery weather than a manual anyway I would think (with appropriate tires of course).

 

If you get the base automatic (non premium GT Auto) you won't have the my colors or snow/wet mode (you're have the other three drive modes just not in toggle form). I don't know how the drive modes exactly affect the car in manual, so you'll have to test drive with all four modes to experience the difference. In an Auto you will notice changes in, steering, throttle response, traction, and/or as well as pedal "pressure" if that helps describe how heavy or light the pedal feels. But it sounds like what you want for sure is premium auto or manual. As for manual, it would be a shame not to get the PP but that will give you summer tires. I think it's not ideal for cold slippery weather? Other thought also, you can decide to forgot about equipping it for cold slippery weather and go to a Ford/Roush dealer and not get the R3 but order your car with the phase 1 supercharger kit with upgraded half shafts for about $10k above MSRP and have your car do very very very low 11's (possibly high 10's) in the 1/4 mile

 

Yeah, but I think I want to stay at around 33k max and it looks like I can't get a prem. auto GT that low. After some searching I found a way to get the PP with the auto, but it is the ecoboost. There is a 2015 left with the 50 year package and PP for about 34k, looks pretty good in black. I also found a couple Roush stage 1's for just over 35k (which is 5k off MSRP) in red and black that look sick, but that is a crazy idea I guess as I would then be tempted to do some mods to get it at least as fast as the GT.

 

I think you'd regret getting the ecoboost. It doesn't compare to the V8.


As for the 50th anniversary Auto with PP, It will only still come with 3.55 and not the 3.73 which is only available with the Manual. GT Premium Auto is the way to go if Auto is more important than PP. But if price is the determining factor than go with the Base GT with PP and adjust to the manual for the best bang for the buck. They look mean as hell with black rims and staggered wheels and they are the fastest versions of the GT.


As for Roush cars, unless it's the Stage 3 (supercharger) don't bother with the cosmetic upgrades. You may think it's cool, but nothing is more cheesy than non functional mods like hood scoops, rear wheel scoops, etc. Also in the future, with Base GT with PP, you can upgrade it with the phase 1 kit and do high 10's in the 1/4 mile.