Starting next year, two of the automotive world’s biggest rivals & icons are set to share the same transmission, though with different control setups.



While this wouldn’t mark the first time GM and Ford have worked together on such a project, the likes of the Mustang and the Camaro do tend to stir up different emotions than say the Fusion vs the Malibu, or the Escape vs the Equinox, which use jointly developed 6-speed automatics.

“It is surprising,” said Gale Halderman, responsible for the exterior of the first Mustang. “Back in my time, we couldn’t even talk to anybody from GM.”

Now, with the 2017 Camaro ZL1 being the first of eight vehicles set to receive GM’s 10-speed Hydra-Matic transmission, certain versions of the Mustang are expected to get the same gearbox for 2018, according to Autonews.

This transmission, as well as a nine-speed automatic for front-wheel-drive models, was jointly developed by Ford & GM (starting in 2013) – the former will offer the 10-speed one on the 2017 F-150 this fall, while GM is expected to use it on full-size pickups come 2017.

Despite some internal components being identical, customers won’t necessarily notice similarities between how the Mustang and the Camaro (or F-150 & Silverado) change gears.

“We will each use our own control software to ensure that each transmission is carefully matched to the individual, brand-specific vehicle DNA for each company,” said Craig Renneker, Ford’s chief engineer of transmission and driveline components, back when the automakers announced their collaboration in 2013.

Some think that because of the huge capital costs of today’s automotive industry, working together could be viewed as a necessity.

“You look at the overall cost, and why duplicate that?” stated Devin Lindsay, powertrain engineer with IHS Automotive. “Imagine the amount of time it frees up at the engineering level. That allows them to use resources in other areas. You may want to collaborate on some things, but there are others that are more of the secret sauce that differentiates you with the buyer.”

How do you feel about Ford & GM collaborating when it comes to their muscle cars?

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