The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 that made its debut on Monday at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit and the forthcoming mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette may share one major component. 

Road & Track on Monday reported on a newsletter that appears to evidence the fact both cars will use a similar Tremec dual-clutch transmission. Two transmissions appear in the 2017 newsletter: a Tremec TR-7007 and TR-9007 DCT. The document states a supplier by the name of Fassler contacted Tremec about a new DCT project titled GM-DCT, specifically a project for a DCT that would handle up to 664 pound-feet of torque.

This GM project was awarded to Fassler and Tremec in June 2017 and pilot production was scheduled to commence in January 2018. However, around the time the GM project was officially signed off on, a Ford-DCT project came through. After spilling details about the GM DCT production, the newsletter added Tremec and the supplier needed to modify two honing machines for the Ford DCT, which it called a variant of the GM DCT with shared parts.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette (C8) spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

2020 Chevrolet Corvette (C8) spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

Speculation in the newsletter claimed the Ford project was for the Shelby GT350 and the GM project was for the C8 Corvette. We now know the 7-speed DCT was, in fact, for the Shelby GT500.

Development of the DCTs started in 2013 and there are three variants planned in total: one for rear-wheel-drive vehicles, one for all-wheel-drive applications, and one with a transaxle. The RWD application is obviously for the Shelby GT500, and the transaxle application is more than likely for the mid-engine C8 Corvette. All three share the same internals with minor differences for their final packaging.

The DCT will be the only transmission offered for the new Shelby GT500 and we've heard rumors the C8 Corvette could ditch the manual for a DCT solely as well. We'll know if the newsletter is merely a coincidence or fact when Chevrolet decides to share more about its worst-kept secret, hopefully later this year.