Ford CEO Vows Manual Mustang Will Stay

Farley frames the stick shift as central to Mustang character despite rising certification hurdles.

Overview

Jim Farley said the Mustang’s manual would be kept, quipping it would be taken only from Ford’s “cold, dead hands,” in remarks during the Melbourne Grand Prix weekend.
His comments coincided with Ford’s 2026 Formula 1 return via its Oracle Red Bull Racing partnership at the Australian Grand Prix.
The current generation still offers a six-speed manual on the V8-powered GT, underscoring the model’s enthusiast focus.
Ford cites meaningful buyer interest for manuals even as development and certification costs favor high-volume automatics.
Availability varies by market, with Ford Philippines selling automatic-only Mustangs, while rivals like Nissan continue limited manual support on performance models such as the refreshed Z Nismo.