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Efficiency of a six-speed manual with the convenience of an auto
As light and sporty as a manual gearbox
Available on Focus and C-MAX
On-the-road prices from £18,195
BRENTWOOD, Essex, 23 June, 2008 – Ford Motor Company has added a high-tech new automatic transmission to its line-up, one which achieves the fuel economy of a manual gearbox but with the comfort and convenience of a normal auto.

Called “PowerShift”, the new lightweight transmission uses the latest electronically-controlled twin-clutch technology to change gear, and therefore does not need the complex and weighty sub-systems such as torque converter or planetary gears of regular auto boxes.

Not only efficient, the new six-speed PowerShift is simple to use and yet with a sporty personality. Both up and down-shifts are executed faster than normal auto gearboxes, and faster than drivers can achieve with a manual.

PowerShift is available on either the Ford Focus or C-MAX ranges and with the 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine. Two states of tune are available, 136PS or 110PS. Regardless of power rating, body style or series, all Focus models equipped with PowerShift offer a combined fuel economy of 48.6mpg, with average CO2 emissions of just 154 g/km while C-MAX delivers 47.9mpg and 159g/km.
Driving with the Ford PowerShift transmission is as simple and easy as a conventional automatic transmission. The system uses a standard automatic gear lever in the centre console with the usual P, R, N and D settings. The gear lever can also be moved laterally to a parallel gate should the driver choose a sportier style and the option of shifting manually.

Stuttgart. Beaming faces in Zuffenhausen: today four children, aged five and six, each collected their own ‘Model 911’ pedal car from the museum of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. They were the lucky winners of a raffle which had taken place at the “Bietigheim Wonderland”, an event held in Bietigheim on May 30 and 31, 2008. Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, did not miss the opportunity to greet the young guests himself and hand them their prizes in person:
“I am very pleased to meet such young Porsche enthusiasts and I hope you will have a lot of enjoyment driving your own little 911s”, said the Chairman, congratulating the children.

After receiving their prizes, the children were given a tour of the Porsche Museum to view the legendary exhibits of the sports car manufacturer. They then refreshed themselves with ice-cream and cake in the Porsche Guest Casino. The children were accompanied by their parents, brothers and sisters, as well as the Mayor of Bietigheim, Kurt Leibbrandt, and the Head of Bietigheim’s Culture and Sport Office, Heinz Steidle.

Several hundred children had taken part in the raffle for the prize pedal cars, which are true-to-scale models of the Porsche 911. Porsche had played a decisive part in initiating and sponsoring the local festivities in Bietigheim Town Center, where around 50 bands and groups performed.

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Mazda Motor Corporation today received permission from Japan’s Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) to test the Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid minivan on public roads. Mazda’s newest hydrogen rotary engine vehicle features a hybrid system that increases the vehicle’s power by 40 percent and doubles the hydrogen fuel range to 200 kilometers. Mazda aims to complete the road trials and start commercial leasing in Japan during fiscal year 2008. The Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid is the world’s first hydrogen hybrid car with a dual-fuel system that enables the car to run on either hydrogen or gasoline.

Separately, Mazda has also announced that it will display and demonstrate its hydrogen rotary vehicles at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit in July 2008. The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid will debut alongside the previously released RX-8 Hydrogen RE at the summit’s Environmental Showcase*1.

Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid

Akihiro Kashiwagi, Mazda’s program manager in charge of hydrogen RE development, said, “We are committed to improving the performance of our hydrogen rotary engine vehicles to help promote a more eco-friendly place for the automobile in society. Getting permission from the transportation authorities in Japan to begin public road testing the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid in time for the Hokkaido Toyako Summit is extremely significant, because the eyes of the world will be focused on Japan’s environmental technologies. Going forward, we will continue to advance our development program and strive to start commercial leasing during this fiscal year.”

The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid incorporates the acclaimed dual-fuel system*2 from the RX-8 Hydrogen RE, which became the world’s first commercially available hydrogen rotary engine vehicle in 2006. The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid also features a hybrid system that combines an electric motor with Mazda’s hydrogen rotary engine to realize significantly enhanced performance. Mazda’s other environmental technologies showcased on the vehicle include “Mazda Biotechmaterials.” Used for some of the vehicle’s interior plastic parts and seat covers, these plant-derived materials contribute to reduced CO2 emissions.

Under its Sustainable Zoom-Zoom environmental plan, Mazda is dedicated to pursuing harmony between driving pleasure and environmental and safety features, while working toward an advanced Zoom-Zoom future by developing vehicles that “look inviting to drive, are fun to drive, and make you want to drive again.”

*1 The Environmental Showcase is an exhibition and demonstration of Japan’s latest environmental and energy-saving technologies that will be held at the International Media Center for journalists covering the Hokkaido Toyako Summit.
*2 The dual-fuel system allows the driver to select either hydrogen or gasoline fuel with the push of a button.