A host of green Ford cars are now compatible with the company's PowerShift transmission.
A host of green Ford cars are now compatible with the company's PowerShift transmission.
The technology - which is designed to challenge the performance and fuel economy of a manual gearbox with the comfort and convenience of a standard automatic version - can now be used for the Ford Kuga, Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy.
Previously, consumers were able to use the transmission on the Ford Focus and C-MAX models.
Thanks to the introduction of this format, combining the PowerShift with a two-litre Duratorq diesel engine can ensure the CO2 emissions are as low as 149 g/km.
And those who are buying a green Ford car with a two-litre EcoBoost petrol engine might be glad to know that the transmission is fitted as standard to all new motors with this option.
Pat Oldani, Ford's automatic transmission manager, admitted that the company was excited to broaden the availability of the transmission to a wider range of vehicles.
He added: "PowerShift is the ideal choice for customers who want the comfort and ease-of-use provided by a conventional automatic, but who don't want to sacrifice the sporty responses, superior fuel economy and low CO2 emissions delivered by a manual gearbox."
But consumers may be interested to note that diesel models which included the PowerShift transmission will cost around £1,500 more than the equivalent Ford green car with a manual gearbox.
Moreover, the technology is designed to avoid inefficiencies related to a traditional torque-converter automatic, which should then ensure an improved fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions.
The news comes as another positive for the Ford S-MAX, which was recently awarded twice in as many weeks by motoring publications.
The green Ford car was named the best people carrier and the best multi-purpose vehicle by the Business Car Manager and Auto Express magazines respectively.
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