Eco car insurance policyholders looking to invest in a new fuel-efficient model may be swayed by the new PowerShift automatic transmission created by Ford.
Already fitted in the firm's Focus and C-MAX models, the system delivers the performance and fuel economy of a manual gearbox combined with the convenience and comfort of an automatic alternative.
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 system works by utilising two electronically-controlled clutch units, which effectively power three-speed separate gearboxes.
When the throttle is applied, the clutch is electronically engaged into first gear, switching automatically to the pre-selected second gear when drive is switched while second gear is pre-selected in gearbox two.
Gearbox one houses first, third and fifth gears, while number two contains second, fourth and sixth, with gears pre-selected electronically depending on whether the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating.
"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," Mr Oldani added.
Britons may be even more enticed to invest in a Ford model under the scrappage scheme, which has seen other Ford consumers help save an annual 8,700 tonnes of CO2 by investing in a greener model.
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