The Shelby GT350's arrival with a six-speed manual transmission only was great news for purists back in 2015, but the beefed-up muscle car could get an automatic in the future. That's the news from Road and Track, which claims, quoting information obtained from Mustang6G, that the GT350 will be offered with an optional dual-clutch automatic gearbox within the next few years. Given that Mustang6G has accurately predicted several Mustang-related details in the past, this is likely to be more than just a rumor.

There's no word as to whether the Shelby GT350 will get a six-speed or a seven-speed dual-clutch, but word has it that Ford could use the seven-speed it offers in the Ford GT supercar. Either way, a quick-shifting, dual-clutch will improve the GT350's already tremendous performance. With the manual model needing only 3.5 seconds to hit 60 mph from a standing start, a dual-clutch gearbox could decrease that time to an amazing 3.3 seconds.

There's no specific word as to when the automatic GT350 may arrive, but Ford will likely introduce the new transmission for the facelifted version of the current-generation muscle car. The updated Mustang has already been spotted testing and it should arrive sometime in 2017. A revised GT350 with the optional dual-clutch transmission could follow in 2018. Naturally, the more track-focused GT350R will also get the automatic gearbox.

Continue reading for the full details.

Why it matters

Manual transmission may still be popular among purists, but the truth is that most drivers would rather have an automatic gearbox do the shifting for them. This, and the fact that performance should increase with an automatic, are the reasons why Ford is considering a dual-clutch option for the GT350. What's more, beside improving sales, a dual-clutch will also enable the GT350 compete better against far more exotic and expensive sports cars such as Porsche 911, Chevrolet Corvette, and the Jaguar F-Type.

Read our full review on the Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang here.

Read our full review on the 2016 Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang here.