Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C7 Forum - View Single Post - Why does ford not utilize 6gears as GM does?

fastball · 03-21-2009, 10:40 AM

GM was using six speed manuals in the late 1980's...... I think the 1989 ZR-1 Corvette was the first car ever with 6 gears. Perhaps Ferraris had 6 speeds by then, but I still believe the Testarossa and F-40 of that era were 5-speeds.

Shortly after that, all V8 equipped F-bodies used nothing but 6 speed sticks.

The extra gear gives you more precise control over the engine, where you want the revs based on how you are driving. It does help with fuel economy no doubt, if you spend most of your day in 6th gear, but the main idea is to make 1st-3rd gears a little shorter than a 5 speed.

You could also say, this is 2009 and perception is everything when buying a car these days. If someone who has no legence to either GM or Ford and cross shops a Camraro SS and a Mustang GT, both with manuals, and sees one with a 5 speed and one with a 6 speed, which do you think will leave the impression of "it's better because it has more gears"? Whether it really is or not isn't even in the equation for that buyer..... the car with the higher number wins.

03-21-2009, 10:40 AM	#20
fastball Banned Drives: 2017 Camaro 2SS 6MT Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 4,361	GM was using six speed manuals in the late 1980's...... I think the 1989 ZR-1 Corvette was the first car ever with 6 gears. Perhaps Ferraris had 6 speeds by then, but I still believe the Testarossa and F-40 of that era were 5-speeds. Shortly after that, all V8 equipped F-bodies used nothing but 6 speed sticks. The extra gear gives you more precise control over the engine, where you want the revs based on how you are driving. It does help with fuel economy no doubt, if you spend most of your day in 6th gear, but the main idea is to make 1st-3rd gears a little shorter than a 5 speed. You could also say, this is 2009 and perception is everything when buying a car these days. If someone who has no legence to either GM or Ford and cross shops a Camraro SS and a Mustang GT, both with manuals, and sees one with a 5 speed and one with a 6 speed, which do you think will leave the impression of "it's better because it has more gears"? Whether it really is or not isn't even in the equation for that buyer..... the car with the higher number wins.