Ford says its new six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission delivers the performance and fuel economy of a manual gearbox with the comfort and convenience of an auto.
The box uses two electronically-controlled clutch units, which ensure seamless delivery of power to the wheels.
The two clutches each control what are effectively separate three-speed gearboxes.
When the driver selects "D", first gear is selected in gearbox one and second gear is pre-selected in gearbox two - much like VW's DSG gearbox.
Sophisticated electronic control enables gears to be pre-selected according to whether the car is accelerating or decelerating.
Pat Oldani, Ford's automatic transmission manager, said: "Our PowerShift transmission is already proving popular on Ford Focus and C-MAX, demonstrating that you can have both excellent fuel economy and low CO2 emissions with an automatic gearbox.
"The double-clutch technology gives you the best of both worlds – the efficiency of a manual, combined with the effortless, two-pedal operation of a conventional automatic.”
The six-speed Ford PowerShift transmission is available with the advanced 136PS 2.0TDCi diesel engine, and the partnership delivers impressive results: in a Ford Focus, the pairing achieves 48.6mpg and CO2 emissions of 154g/km.
