Ford has added a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission option to the Fiesta and Puma models in Europe, offered in combination with the mild-hybrid 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine. The new transmission option unlocks new features of the mild-hybrid EcoBoost powertrain, including the Stop & Go functionality for the adaptive cruise control, as well as remote start via the FordPass smartphone application.
In addition, both the Ford Puma EcoBoost
Hybrid and the Fiesta EcoBoost Hybrid are estimated to offer up to more than 5
percent reduced CO2 emissions and offer better fuel efficiency when fitted with
the new dual-clutch transmission.
Ford’s 1.0-liter EcoBoost is paired to a
mild hybrid system that includes a belt-driven starter/generator that recovers
energy during braking and coasting, charging a 48-volt lithium-ion battery. In
addition, the starter/generator also acts as an electric motor, assisting the
engine with extra torque for better fuel economy or performance, depending on
driving conditions. Ford offers two power outputs for its mild-hybrid 1.0-liter
EcoBoost: 123 HP and 153 HP.
The addition of the new dual-clutch
transmission manages to improve the in-gear acceleration of the Puma 1.0-liter
EcoBoost Hybrid with the 123 HP by up to almost 4 percent. When in
Sport Drive mode, the transmission also holds lower gears for a better response
while it can also triple-downshift for faster overtaking. If you want shifting
paddles on the steering to change cogs yourself, however, you’ll have to choose
either the Puma ST-Line X or the ST-Line Vignale model.
