Rumors that the Ford Mustang will get a 10-speed automatic transmission has been bubbling on the surface for almost two years, having first been reported by Automotive News back in August 2014. It’s been quiet on that front ever since, but in the wake of the Ford F-150 already having one and the the Chevrolet Camaro set to get its own, the Blue Oval is apparently following suit by giving the Mustang its own 10-speed automatic transmission, called the 10R80.

To be clear, Ford hasn’t confirmed this yet, but a recent photo of Ford’s online parts catalog posted on Mustang6g.com revealed something pretty interesting pertaining to transmission options for the future Mustang. One of those options listed in the drop-down menu is a 10-speed automatic transmission. Again, no confirmation has come from Ford and the company is unlikely to make any comments since the automaker has long had a position of not commenting on future product speculation.

Nevertheless, this development shouldn’t come as a complete shock since General Motors and Ford already have an agreement in place to co-develop two transmissions, one of which is a rear-drive 10-speed. It’s possible that this 10-speed transmission will have a similar backbone as the one found on the 2017 Ford F-150 V-6 and the one that will be made available in the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Don’t expect both transmission to be configured the same way because Ford will be calibrating its version to suit the Mustang.

It’s going to be interesting if Ford bucks its own position and addresses this leaked detail ahead of the 2018 Ford Mustang’s launch. For now, though, treat this one with a grain of salt, at least until we get word from the Blue Oval.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

Why it matters

So what’s the deal with the 10-speed transmission and why is it getting a lot of attention?

It should be noted that an automaker only decides on offering equipment like this if it understands the potential benefits that come with it, especially when it involves improving a car’s performance efficiency. In nutshell, that’s exactly what a ten-speed automatic transmission does: it provide improvements in performance and fuel economy compared a six-speed version. Ford accomplished this by adding extra gear ratios and reducing weight, opting to use what it describes as alloys and “advanced materials” instead of using cast-iron components.

Having extra gears also means that drivers have more options to work with. Shorter ratios increase acceleration off the line and on the flip side, taller ratios enable the car to have better economical cruising capabilities at low RPMs. Having a 10-speed transmission means that there are more gears in play, thus making for quicker and smoother ratio selections. It may not be obvious for some people, but having this option helps the engine maximize its capabilities, which in turn, cuts down on its emissions while also improving its economy in the process.

These benefits could have far-reaching effects on a performance car like the Ford Mustang. It’s already paid dividends for the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 when General Motors said that the 10-speed unit on the ZLA1 is quicker than Porsche’s PDK transmission.

It’s also fitting that with the Camaro ZL1 set to hit the market later this year, Ford shouldn’t waste any time getting its own 10-speed Mustang out on the market.

Ford Mustang

Read our full review on the Ford Mustang here.