A new, fully automatic four-speed transmission is now available for the Ford Fiesta and the Ford Fusion. With this addition, Ford boasts a transmission range that is one of the most comprehensive in the small car sector.
Three transmissions are now available for both Fiesta and Fusion: the new Durashift Automatic transmission, the Durashift EST (Electronic Shift Technology) advanced manual transmission, and the Durashift five-speed manual transmission.
"The small car sector has always been a key market for Ford and so offering customers as much choice as possible is extremely important. Last year, Fiesta took the lead in the retail small car sector. We believe that these new automatics will augment the success of EST, our advanced manual transmissions," said Peter Fleet, Marketing Director, Ford of Britain.
The new Durashift Automatic is the latest development of the conventional automatic transmission system. Gears are shifted using a hydraulically controlled system of clutches, brakes and planetary gears for extremely smooth gearchanges.
It is mated with the peppy 100 PS 1.6 litre Ford Duratec 16V engine, providing Fiesta and Fusion with exceptional gear shifting quality, and responsive driving characteristics more usually associated with sportier vehicles. It boasts a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 11.7 seconds, and a maximum speed of 179 km/h.
In Fiesta, the Durashift Automatic reinforces the car's excellent reputation for driving quality, by offering a combination of flexible performance and smooth shifting. It also adapts its behaviour to ensure this drivability is maintained in different driving conditions, such as in hilly environments. The Fusion Durashift Automatic transmission is also great to drive in urban environments with its agile response and ease of use complementing its manoeuvrability around town.
The transmission uses a dedicated computer controlled system and works in conjunction with the engine's electronic management system, to manage its operation. Both the engine and the transmission settings are constantly adjusted to suit prevailing conditions and the driver's requirements.
At the heart of the transmission are its Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) and Transmission Control Module (TCM) systems. ETC provides a full 'drive-by-wire' cable-free connection between the accelerator pedal and the powertrain. It senses the driver's demands at the accelerator pedal and communicates these to the TCM and the Engine Control Module (ECM) in the engine.
The torque converter provides optimised torque multiplication capability at lower speeds to enhance acceleration and, at other times, mainly above 80 km/h, a mechanical clutch locks up the converter to eliminate slip and provide better fuel economy and throttle response.
The TCM governs gear selection. It analyses throttle inputs, vehicle and engine speeds to determine how the vehicle is being used - for example if it is under heavy acceleration, towing or either climbing or descending a hill.
Fiesta Fusion engine/transmission variants Model Transmission| Model | Transmission |
| Fiesta 1.3L 8V, 70PS | Durashift manual |
| Fiesta 1.25L 16V, 75PS | Durashift manual |
| Fiesta, Fusion 1.4L 16V, 80PS | Durashift manual, Durashift EST |
| Fiesta, Fusion 1.4TDCi, 68PS | Durashift manual, Durashift EST |
| Fiesta, Fusion 1.6L 16V, 100PS | Durashift manual, Durashift Automatic |
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