Offers New Powertrain
Is the Freestyle underpowered with just a 3.0-liter V-6 that merely delivers 200-hp, especially when compared to the Chrysler Pacifica with 3.5-liter engine? Not with the new continuously variable transmission (CVT), said Craig Rennecker, executive engineer, automatic transmission.
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| "With the continuously variable transmission, it will function like a six-speed transmission." (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
"The big difference is the transmissions that we're going to offer in these vehicles and why it's going to make the 3-liter a great engine choice for this car," Rennecker said.
"With most four-speed automatic transmissions, like the Pacifica, you get a 4:1 ratio between the highest and lowest ratio that the transmission can provide. With the CVT, it will function like a six-speed transmission; you get a 6:1 ration which is a 50 percent improvement in the overall ratio of the transmission."
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| Comparable performance to the Pacifica, better fuel economy and a silky smooth shift-free ride, all thanks to the new CVT. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
The CVT provides a very deep "first gear" with good torque multiplication for launch that also allows the Freestyle's engine to run at a slower speed on the highway for better fuel economy, Rennecker said.
"This will give us competitive performance with the Pacifica, but with substantially better fuel economy," he added.
The second advantage of the CVT is that there are no specific or discreet steps in shifting, so the car's performance will feel smooth for the driver. The engine will run at exactly the right speed for any given condition, without making compromises between a gear that is slightly too high or a one that is too low.