WHAT'S INSIDE TREMEC'S ALL-NEW SEVEN-SPEED DUAL-CLUTCH TRANSMISSION IN THE NEW SHELBY GT500 MUSTANG

Does This DCT Equal Faster Shifts, Quicker Lap Times and More Fun?

- Evan J. Smith

The Shelby GT500 has been giving Mustang enthusiasts class-leading performance since its return in 2007. Now, after a six-year absence, the 2020 model that’s due to hit showrooms this fall packs a punch with 760 horsepower and 625 lb-ft of torque, and it introduces an all-new Tremec seven-speed DCT (dual-clutch transmission) that has purists questioning Ford’s sanity.

Why? Because Mustang owners like to bang gears, and the DCT does the dirty work for you. In fact, every specialty Mustang offered by Ford over the last 20 years has been equipped with three pedals and a six-speed manual gearbox, so owners are accustomed to gripping and ripping.

When it came time to develop the new GT500, Ford looked at every way it could improve performance, and one of the sticking points of past GT500s has been the transmission. While owners love to bang gears, it’s always taken a skilled driver to extract maximum performance. Lesser drivers have struggled to make quick, accurate, and consistent shifts. The Tremec DCT solves that issue by letting the vehicle handle the gear shifts.

Ford briefly looked at the 10R80 10-speed automatic, as well as the ultra-reliable Tremec T56 six-speed, but ultimately they teamed with Tremec to develop something unique for the 2020 Shelby GT500.