FoMoCo says it plans to double the use of more fuel-efficient 6-speed automatic transmissions by the end of next year, The company is looking to get the transmission in 98 percent of North American vehicles by 2012. Ford’s Sterling Heights transmission plant will produce 1.3 million 6F35 transmissions a year.
According to Ford, the 6-speed automatic transmission return 4 to 6 percent better fuel economy than the 4 or 5-speed automatics. In 2009 Ford plans on fitting its 6F35 six-speed transmission in the 2009 model year of the Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner and the 2009 Mazda Tribute. Currently, all are offered with a four-speed automatic.
The 6F35 will be mated to a new 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine and the 3.0 liter V6 in the 2009 Escape and Mariner. The engine offers an outpute increases of...
Read Article