Detroit Mustang Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 (edited) This video shows a Titanium with PRNDS. S is, according to the video, Sport Shift mode. Is this the mode where you can use the toggle on the stick to shift manually (aka Select Shift)? Or is this something else? Edited April 16, 2011 by Detroit Mustang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transitman Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 This video shows a Titanium with PRNDS. S is, according to the video, Sport Shift mode. Is this the mode where you can use the toggle on the stick to shift manually (aka Select Shift)? Or is this something else? It's a good video review, but as usual, the reviewer is not fully informed. The S stands for Select Shift. And yes, that toggle is the shifter when in select shift mode. A steering wheel mounted paddle shifter would have been nice, but where would they put it with all the other functions mounted on the wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emerrill Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I think the manual actually calls is Sport mode, but I don't have it in front of me right now to check. Basically in this mode, the computer waits as long as possible to shift on its own, preventing over rev and stall. Any other shifts you want, you have to do yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transitman Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 (edited) Here's a copy paste from the Owner's Guide I downloaded from the Motorcraft web site. Emerrill, I'm not trying to second guess you, you have provided great info here and at Focus Fanatics, just an FYI. Understanding your SelectShift AutomaticTM transmission (SST) gearshift lever This vehicle may be equipped with a SelectShift AutomaticTM transmission (SST) gearshift lever. SST is an automatic transmission with the ability for the driver to change gears up or down (without a clutch) as desired. By moving the gearshift lever to the S position, and using the gearshift lever toggle switch, you now have control of selecting the gear you desire. • To manually downshift the transmission with the gearshift lever in S (SelectShift), press (–) on the gearshift lever. • To manually upshift the transmission with the gearshift lever in S (SelectShift), press (+) on the gearshift lever. Initially, when moving the lever to the S (SelectShift) mode , the instrument cluster will show the current selected gear and the SST light will illuminate. In order to prevent the engine from running at too low an RPM, which may cause it to stall, the SST will still automatically make some downshifts if it has determined that you have not downshifted in time. Although the SST will make some downshifts for you, it will still allow you to downshift at any time as long as the SST determines that the engine will not be damaged from over-revving. The SST will automatically upshift if the engine reaches maximum RPM and the driver has not selected the proper gear for vehicle speed to help prevent engine damage caused by excessive over-revving. Engine damage may occur if excessive engine revving is held without shifting. Edited April 16, 2011 by transitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emerrill Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I stand corrected! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timinac Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 Dialog posted yesterday on Facebook "Mark, don't you mean SelectShift? The Focus doesn't have a "sport mode" in the normal sense since Sport Mode implies a more aggressive and less fuel efficient mode, while SelectShift pretty much requires that you change gears. My wife has a Subaru, and when you change into that mode where you CAN manually shift, that is sport mode, and it sacrifices fuel economy for better acceleration, but the moment you actually change gears yourself, it goes out of sport mode and just has YOU change the gears. What some would probably like IS a true "sport mode" where the automatic is tuned for acceleration and would make the car feel even more sporty, but obviously would not get as good fuel economy." (Mark Schirmer, Ford Comm) "There are three modes, really. Normal Drive -- "D". Then a "sport" setting "S".. and it does everything for you. When you are in "S", you can also start flipping gears with the rocker switch. Once you start flipping, it will wait for you.. Hold a gear right near redline if you forget to shift. But I don't live on a racetrack, so not sure why I'd use that. The regular "S" mode changes the shift pattern noticeably. You come off the gas and jump on the brake, it will downshift two gears. Hot into an off ramp, it will hold a gear nicely. I like that mode very much, but as I noted, it does noticeable eat into the mileage. At 4.29 a gallon, I'm careful with that stuff now." "if you have seen the steering wheel of the new Focus, you'll know why there are no paddle shift... too much stuff already, stuff I use more often than shifting. If Ford wanted paddle shifters as well, we'd have to add a second steering wheel! " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detroit Mustang Posted May 7, 2011 Author Share Posted May 7, 2011 Cool, so, if you just move the shifter from D to S, but don't play with the toggle, it will do auto shifting but in a sporty mode? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GapBoyPCS Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Cool, so, if you just move the shifter from D to S, but don't play with the toggle, it will do auto shifting but in a sporty mode? Yes, at least that is what I found in the SE and Titanium I test drove last week. Thing is, I found that once you hit the toggle, you're stuck in Select Shift mode. I didn't have the time to figure out if there was a way to go from Select Shift to Sporty mode - I shifted back to D, and then to S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nkempf01 Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I've read a lot of complaints about the select shift, especially from "professional" reviewers, but after test driving a titanium twice, I don't think its really too inconvenient to have the + - where they do. Adding it to the steering wheel would overwhelm it I think. I don't think they intended the select shift to be used at all times, but rather use when you wanted a little sportier driving or when you needed a lower gear. Just thinking aloud here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imshakn Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I'm with you, the select shift feature is just fine where it is for my tastes. This is not a sports car and I don't need any boy racer garbage inside. If anything a gated shifter might have been nicer, but I don't see the point as most people honestly do not bother with these and a manufacturer builds their cars for the common denominator of consumers. If my titanium was going to be another one of my track toys, I would just buy a manual transmission car unless it was going to be another drag car in which case I wouldn't care what the stock shifter was like as it would be converted to a manual shift valve body and a ratchet shifter. If there's a situation where you want more control of the car for a particular driving situation where you don't feel the ECU is doing a good job of shifting for you, use the goofy switch. Otherwise just leave the car in D or S and forget the button is even there. FYI, the S mode without touching the select shift button is more than adequate for more aggressive driving in a car such as this from my toying around in these cars. But hey, that's just my thoughts on the matter, yours may vary. :reading: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrgdr57 Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I agree with the opinions stated above. I have to say that all the carping of "professional" reviewers about the toggle switch versus paddle-shifters or up/down gate got a little old after about the third or fourth review. If that's the worst they have to say about the Focus, well, it's not much. Honestly, I'm more impressed with the PowerShift transmission's technology than its toggle-shift feature. I've been driving Lincoln LSes with SelectShift transmissions for the last 11 years and although SST is a certainly cool feature, it's one I seldom use. SST is good for the twisties when you want to hold third gear and keep the revs up high in the torque curve but for day-in, day-out driving letting the tranny do it's thing is just fine. I for one am pleased that Ford has maintained a traditional auto-trans shift lever pattern. Front to back; straight back, straight forward. Period. I simply cannot abide vehicles with those ridiculous notched, zig-zag P-R-N-D-X-X levers. I can't fathom why any automaker considers all that side-slipping and clunking to be an efficient or ergonomically effective pattern, the most egregious example of which has to have been Jaguar's long-departed and unmourned J-gate shifter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chibana Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I'd much rather have them on the wheel where they belong. Then again, I'm an enthusiast driver with some track training. There's nothing "boy racer" about having the manual shift actuators on the wheel or steering column where they belong (and, where they are safest). If there's no room for them to be there without clutter, move some of the other crap that's there for ICE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordtion Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I agree with the opinions stated above. I have to say that all the carping of "professional" reviewers about the toggle switch versus paddle-shifters or up/down gate got a little old after about the third or fourth review. If that's the worst they have to say about the Focus, well, it's not much. Honestly, I'm more impressed with the PowerShift transmission's technology than its toggle-shift feature. I've been driving Lincoln LSes with SelectShift transmissions for the last 11 years and although SST is a certainly cool feature, it's one I seldom use. SST is good for the twisties when you want to hold third gear and keep the revs up high in the torque curve but for day-in, day-out driving letting the tranny do it's thing is just fine. Holy smokes, 11 years owning Linclon LS's and never used the SST... Guess you just get in and drive..I always loved the SST feature,Guess the shifting comes from driving trucks in my younger days. I do like the new 2012 Focus hatch back though..Nice car.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emerrill Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I'd much rather have them on the wheel where they belong. Then again, I'm an enthusiast driver with some track training. There's nothing "boy racer" about having the manual shift actuators on the wheel or steering column where they belong (and, where they are safest). If there's no room for them to be there without clutter, move some of the other crap that's there for ICE. Yes, but the ICE button get used by 99.99% of the drivers all the time, while the paddles would get used very rarely. Ford isn't marketing this as a sports car, it's a mass market car. I'm sure the ST will have paddles. I agree with the other posters, I've had no problems with the location of the select shifter. I don't really get the argument that you have to take your hands off the wheel, from the same people that want a manual instead... Um, I'm not sure how you shift a manual without taking your hands off the wheel... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Holy smokes, 11 years owning Linclon LS's and never used the SST... Guess you just get in and drive. Gary said seldom, not never. And I was the same way when I had my LS from 99-05. Used it a lot at first in the twisties, but the last 2 years I hardly ever used it. Depends on where and how you're driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nkempf01 Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I'd much rather have them on the wheel where they belong. Then again, I'm an enthusiast driver with some track training. There's nothing "boy racer" about having the manual shift actuators on the wheel or steering column where they belong (and, where they are safest). If there's no room for them to be there without clutter, move some of the other crap that's there for ICE. I test drove this car nearly 10 times now, mostly before I ordered mine, but twice after I ordered it because I missed driving it already I'm not sure you could really remove too much from the steering wheel, with all the features the car has. You need the top left cursor and ok button for the in dash display. Below that, the cruise control settings, pretty standard position there. The right side has the sync and phone options, which is the safest spot to have those. The items that probably aren't completely necessary, are the right side toggle and ok buttons to control the sync actually. But since most drivers will be adjusting the radio more than always shifting, it's a safer approach there. I dont want to disagree with you there, because I think paddle shifters would be more fun, on occasion to use, Ford still has to appeal to the largest majority of car buyers, so having the other things on the wheel they do will suit the greatest majority. But hopefully that will change with the ST! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imshakn Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I don't really get the argument that you have to take your hands off the wheel, from the same people that want a manual instead... Um, I'm not sure how you shift a manual without taking your hands off the wheel... And that's exactly what I mean, if someone is dead set on believing their focus is a sports car, it's not that much trouble to reach over and switch the gear with the select shift lever. If you can shift and heel-toe in a manual transmission car into a hard series of turns, reaching over for a lever really isn't that involved. I've got plenty of time on the track and not once have I felt handicapped having to reach over to make a shift whether driving a road course or down the strip. Simply put, the switch was placed where it was for the largest target audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chibana Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 It doesn't have to be a sports car to have the shifters in the correct location. Having the paddles on the wheel is one way these automated manuals are better than traditional manuals (in addition to their faster shift times). Just because a traditional manual requires you to move your hands doesn't mean these new transmissions should. I agree that most won't use it, but I bet more would be more likely to do so if they were properly done, instead of silly buttons on the shifter. Don't get me wrong--I'm glad I can at least shift it manually, unlike the Fiesta, but I think you are underestimating how many enthusiast drivers will be buying Focuses. The original Focus, before Ford screwed up and ruined the U.S. version, was an enthusiast-oriented vehicle, and this new one is as well. This is one area where Ford didn't go the distance, and they should have. The only reason not to is cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emil Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Is there a non-dual clutch 6-speed in these cars too? I'm seeing basically two highway mpg numbers 37 & 38 (besides the LFE 40). Why do they differ? My daughter wants the Titanium so I'm assuming she's getting the dual clutch, I hope. Another question is when she drove it and took her foot off the brake it creeped forward. Is a clutch lightly activated in this case to simulate a torque converter? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emerrill Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 The lower number comes from cars with select shift. They all have dual clutch, but the testing procedure with select shift is different. Real world economy should be identical if you keep it in D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emil Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 The lower number comes from cars with select shift. They all have dual clutch, but the testing procedure with select shift is different. Real world economy should be identical if you keep it in D Ah, that explains it! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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