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Front Page
2005 Australian International Motor Show: FPV Gets More Six Appeal
Staff, Thursday October 13, 2005.
Page 1 of 1
FPV is the first Australian high-performance manufacturer to offer a six-speed automatic transmission with the introduction of the state-of-the-art new ZF Engineering 6HP26 gearbox, which features multiple driving modes, sophisticated logics and a number of innovative driving and safety features. It is available as an option on all FPV models with a recommended retail price of $1250.
As was the case with the re-engineering of the Tremec T56 six-speed manual, the ZF six-speed automatic transmission has been tailored to suit the unique driving conditions and customer demands of the Australian high-performance vehicle market.
?The introduction of a world-class six-speed automatic especially developed to suit to our conditions continues to build on our reputation for creating high-performance vehicles using the very latest technology,? said David Flint, Managing Director of Ford Performance Vehicles.
?The addition of this single-piece of hardware will offer significant benefit to our customers, who will be blessed with an almost seamless transmission that makes everyday driving effortless, yet brings out the best in our Boss 290 V8 and F6 270 Turbo engines during enthusiastic motoring. This transmission truly offers the best of both worlds.
?For our company, it has created an even greater product lineup with the availability of an automatic transmission in the F6 Typhoon and F6 Tornado for the first time. I am certain the combination of our F6 270 Turbo powerplant with this transmission will be an outstanding success.?
ZF 6HP26 SIX-SPEED AUTOMATIC
The lightweight and compact six-speed automatic transmission provides significant gains in performance with graduated steps between the low first gear and tall sixth gear.
The transmission is based on the Lepelletier gear set, which is constructed by connecting a planetary gear to a Ravigneaux gear ? a double planetary gear set commonly used in four-speed automatics.
The sun of the planetary gear is connected to the housing and cannot rotate, while the carrier of the planetary gear is connected by clutches to the large and small sun wheels of the Ravigneaux gear.
The input shaft is always connected to the ring of the planetary gear and can be simultaneously connected to the carrier of the Ravigneaux gear using a separate clutch. The output, or driven shaft, is connected to the ring of the Ravigneaux gear.
A specific performance version of the ZF transmission has been developed with upgraded clutches featuring extra plates in each clutch pack to achieve a torque capacity of 600Nm. This transmission will feature as an option in all FPV models.
SOFTWARE AND CALIBRATION
The Sequential Sports Shift feature introduced on BA Falcon models, including FPV?s GT, GT-P, Pursuit and Super Pursuit, continues as a key element of the new six-speed automatic transmission, offering the same style of adaptive and performance automatic modes as well as total manual control through sequential manual shifting.
Torque converter clutch lock-up is available in all forward gears, not just the top two overdrive gears, assisting in better transmission cooling and reduced fuel consumption when towing heavy loads at low speeds.
Electronic control of all gearshifts is via the high-performance clutches rather than conventional bands, delivering a more direct and refined shift quality.
The internal Transmission Control Module (TCM), which is mounted on the hydraulic control valve assembly, or mechatronics unit, has been matched to the transmission?s valve body.
The TCM and the valve body are an exact matched pair, with the TCM being calibrated to the specific valve body during assembly, which helps ensure accuracy of operation and more refined shift quality.
Calibration features of the six-speed automatic transmission include:
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Grade Logic Control (Automatic modes) When driving downhill, with sufficient brake pedal pressure, the transmission will downshift to provide increased engine braking. |
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Upshift prevention at zero throttle (Automatic modes) When coasting downhill from rest, this feature inhibits shifts beyond second gear with zero throttle pedal input to prevent a 'running away' sensation. |
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Emergency Downshifts When in manual mode, if the throttle pedal is pushed through the detent to activate the kickdown switch, the transmission will downshift to a lower gear (depending on vehicle speed) to provide acceleration in an emergency situation. The transmission will then revert to full manual control, remaining in the kickdown gear and requiring driver input to upshift. |
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Transient RPM limit
The transient rpm limit allows the engine to momentarily exceed the prescribed rev limit during upshifting. This enables wide open throttle upshifting of gears to be scheduled at an engine speed closer to the rev limiter than would otherwise be possible.
The transient rpm feature allows the engine to exceed 6000rpm ? to 6250rpm - while the transmission is completing the gear change, thereby taking full advantage of the high-engine speed performance of the F6 270 Turbo and Boss 290.
Driver Recognition
A host of advanced features are accessible to the driver as part of the Driver Recognition software with the six-speed automatic transmission.
Driver recognition matches the transmission performance to the current driving style by measuring acceleration and deceleration rates, brake and throttle applications and cornering speed to ensure the vehicle is in the right gear at the right time without undesired gear shifts.
The transmission ?learns? the driver?s style and assigns a theoretical count system to certain driving scenarios to determine the activation point of particular features.
The count system extends from a ?base? fuel economy bias of 0 counts, through stages such as ?sporty? driver of 100 counts to ?enthusiast? of 200 counts.
The transmission software recognises various performance-based actions, such as rapid acceleration/liftoffs, enthusiastic cornering, pushing the accelerator pedal through the detent and moving the shift lever into performance mode, and increases the number of counts accordingly.
By moving the shift lever across from adaptive to performance mode, the driver recognition function increases by 100 counts instantly, making the advanced features more accessible. If the transmission has already learnt to 40 counts in adaptive mode, then when the shift lever pushed across into the performance mode it would automatically register as 140 counts.
In performance mode, driver recognition can learn from ?sporty?, representing 100 counts, up to ?enthusiast? of 200 counts.
Counts can be gathered quickly as increases occur in blocks, while a more graduated, single-point decrease in counts occurs when returning to a less sporty driving style.
Advanced Features accessible through Driver Recognition software include:
| Brake Support Downshift (Automatic modes) Driver Recognition will enable early downshifting during heavy braking to provide engine braking and to optimise gear selection for better throttle response. |
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| Gear Hold around corners (Automatic modes) The feature will enable the selected gear to be held when the vehicle is cornering enthusiastically to avoid an unwanted upshift or downshift through the corner. Cornering is detected by differential wheel speed and the ABS sensors on each wheel. |
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| Gear Hold up or down hills (Automatic mode) If the throttle pedal is released when travelling up or down hills, upshifts are prevented to reduce shift busyness on ascents and to assist with vehicle speed control on descents, thereby reducing the need for repeated brake applications. |
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| Gear hold/Fast-off throttle Upshifts are prevented when the throttle position sensor detects the driver has instigated a rapid lift off of the throttle pedal (fast off) and maintains the current gear until the driver reapplies throttle pressure. This prevents shift busyness in sporty driving, inhibits the 'running away' feeling when cresting hills and provides greater engine response in avoiding emergency situations. |
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Enhanced Adaptive Shift Strategy
The refinement of Ford?s adaptive shift programming that occurred on BA models has been enhanced even further with the introduction of the BF range.
Adaptive modes include Economy, Performance, Sports, Uphill, Downhill and Towing.
The transmission software compares wheel speeds to infer lateral acceleration, as well as longitudinal acceleration versus flat-road acceleration to infer uphill or downhill operation. It then uses this information to assist the driver by inhibiting upshifts or enabling earlier downshifts.
When towing, the transmission perceives the load as a hill and employs gear hold logic. At highway speeds, the vehicle will cruise in the most appropriate gear to account for the load being towed, which could be fourth, fifth or sixth gear depending on the precise situation.
The result is improved vehicle performance and fuel economy, as well as improved engine and transmission efficiency.
Accelerator Pedal detent and kickdown switch
An accelerator pedal detent feature has been introduced on all automatic FPV variants to provide physical feedback when accessing the kickdown switch.
When the accelerator pedal is pushed through the pedal detent to the floor, the kickdown switch (which is integrated into the pedal mechanism) activates the kickdown feature.
Depending on the vehicle speed and the current gear, the kickdown switch will trigger a single or double downshift. However, to avoid potential damage to engine or gearbox, no downshift will occur if the engine speed is already too high to permit a lower gear from being selected.
Revised Accelerator Pedal Map
The accelerator pedal map has been revised for more refined foot rotation versus engine throttle-plate calibrations, which has improved driveability and resulted in more linear vehicle performance.
Remote Transmission Oil Cooler
The new remote transmission cooler fitted to all FPV models with the six-speed automatic is a heat exchanger mounted to the engine block with a three-way coolant thermostat.
It serves the dual function of using the engine coolant to provide rapid warm-up of the transmission fluid during start-up, as well as improved cooling of the transmission under high load/high temperature operating conditions.
In conjunction with the remote transmission cooler, the six-speed gearbox has a number of protection modes that help prevent the transmission overheating under heavy-duty conditions such as towing and enthusiastic driving in high ambient temperatures.
New Fine-Feel Shift Lever
A uniquely-styled shift lift lever has been developed specifically for all FPV models fitted with the six-speed automatic transmission.
The new fine-feel lever features a steel shaft, leather-look boot, leather inserts around the selector button and LED illumination. The leather-look boot replaces the slider used in BA models, resulting in reduced levels of NVH when changing gears, and combined with the leather inserts on the selector button improve the feel through the shifter.
The LED illumination of the shift pattern has day and night illumination modes that have been integrated with the instrument panel and interior lighting strategies.
The driver?s ability to identify the shift lever position and gear selection has been improved, even in low-light conditions or with the headlights off, through the use of LEDs, which are activated as soon as the driver?s door is unlocked.
The selector button on the new shift lever must be depressed to move the transmission from Drive to Neutral, preventing inadvertent selection of Neutral when driving.
Transmission protection for the Neutral to Drive shift is also a feature of the six-speed automatic. This occurs by limiting torque on engagement if the driver attempts to shift from Neutral to Drive under throttle.
For further information, please contact:
Andrew MacLean
Ford Performance Vehicles
Phone: 03-9300 7260
Fax: 03-9357 0174
Web: www.fpv.com.au
