Ford has confirmed that its new Ranger, due for launch in South Africa towards the end of the year, will be the first one-tonne bakkie ever to boast a six-speed automatic transmission.
According to the American carmaker, the new 'box will not only shift quickly and smoothly, but through Driver Recognition software will adapt to individual driving styles and gradients without the driver realising it. The new gearbox will study how you accelerate, brake and corner, and tailors its gear shifts accordingly.
Drivers will have access to various modes as well as manual control through sequential manual shifting.
In Normal mode, the calibration focuses on comfort and fuel economy. For sportier driving, a flick of the gearlever changes the transmission into Performance mode with later shift points, particularly suited to twisty, hilly terrain.
The new gearbox can also deduce whether the bakkie is going uphill or downhill - and how steep it is - by assessing the engine torque. The transmission uses this information to adjust the shift points to suit the level of gradient. The transmission is also programmed to hold a gear when going around a corner at high speed.
When driving in 4WD low range, there's a different pedal map and shift schedule so that the driver can better control the vehicle when negotiating challenging terrain such as steep, muddy or sandy off-road tracks.
Six-speed transmissions, both manual and automatic, will be available overseas on selected models with the 2.2-litre or 3.2-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engines. According to Ford SA it's likely we'll get both engines and the new auto box.