Report: 2018 Mustang Gets 10-Speed Auto And Mach 1

2003 Ford Mustang Mach 1 (Credit: Ford )

Automotive News recently published an interesting report about the Ford Mustang-the favorite pony car of many Americans. Perhaps the biggest piece of news is that when 2018 rolls around, the legendary Mach 1 will be returning to the lineup. The report also says that Ford will be updating the front fascia of all Mustang models, and that a 10-speed automatic will be thrown into the mix.

The last time Ford made a Mustang Mach 1 was in 2004. The 4.6-liter V-8 made 310 horsepower, which sounds incredibly weak by today’s standards. It came with a number of features not found in other Mustangs, including Tokico gas shocks, Brembo front brakes and comfort-weave leather upholstery.

With the next Mach 1, expect a much higher level of performance, along with some unique features that will set the car apart from the rest of the Mustang stable. The car should also come with a fairly steep price, at least in comparison to the rest of the lineup, plus some fatter profit margins for Ford. In other words, it will be a toy many fantasize about, but few will get to play with.

It’s no secret that Ford has been teaming up with rival automaker General Motors to develop a 10-speed automatic transmission. While that sounds like an excessive number of gears, the idea is that essentially at all times the engine would be operating in a “sweet spot” rpm range. In other words, performance and fuel economy would be maximized – or at least that’s the idea. Likely it would only be featured on cars with a twin-turbo V-6 or a V-8 engine. It sounds like the technology could be a great addition to the Mustang lineup, if it ever becomes reality.

Ford should still offer a manual transmission, including for the future Mach 1. If not, there will be rioting in the streets and Mustang fans threatening to defect to Chevy or Mopar. Which, in that situation, would be completely understandable.