Why no auto or semi aut0

Boza · 08-09-2013, 02:20 PM

Hey guy's I'm a young buck 31 but have a broken body sciatica in left leg and stuffed knee's plus arthritis that plays up now and then.

Any way I absolutely love the new focus st or the fiesta I would love to own one when they come onto the secondhand market in 12-24 months time.

But no auto is keeping me out of these cars do you think ford will ever bring out a hot hatch with a box without a clutch later in the model run or am I dreaming.

Don't get me wrong like i always say I love the full size falcon's but living in the inner city the traffic and parking get's a bit much in the falcon so I would love a small hatch for daily duties.

But I'm a car nut through and through and just a standard lx will not do I will dread driving that car everyday I need something that's fun and fast and handles half decent basically I want an engaging drive not just a shopping trolley.

I know this sounds bad but been looking at auto wrx hatches they look the goods but I'm a ford nut and they're nice and all but no ford.

So please ford bring out a fun hot hatch for people like me also all the people that can't drive a manual will buy one i'm sure

**DJM83** · 08-09-2013, 02:26 PM

I doubt it will ever happen, Ford have a long line of hot hatches/small fast cars and none have been auto.

GT69 · 08-09-2013, 04:13 PM

Am I bad for believing auto boxes have ruined peoples ability to drive. So I for one, hope no auto's go into hot hatches.

Blue_Uterus · 08-09-2013, 05:43 PM

I gotta agree with GT69, and it's become quite hard to get manuals in most models. When I bought my FG2 XR6 ute, I wanted it in white, manual trans. In NSW they only had a black one or the kinetic blue one in stock which I now own. If the standard falcons came in manual I probably would have bought one of those. However, kinda hard to drive a manual with a stuffed leg so it's a shame Boza can't get a Focus ST or something in auto.

**Silver Ghia** · 08-09-2013, 06:22 PM

I think its also because in Europe where the main market is, manuals are far more popular compared to over here. Drivers are a bit lazy here.

Smoke Pursuit · 08-09-2013, 06:34 PM

Its stupid... They are basically short selling themselves out of the market because there's plenty of people around who can drive Manual but choose auto. I am one of them.

UberKnee · 08-09-2013, 06:40 PM

For daily driving in a big city, stuck in traffic for an hour a day all the auto car drivers cant drive muppets can go suck a fart. Bugger spending an hour a day changing gear 10,000 times in 10 kilometres. Changing gears has no direct effect on driving skill anyway.

There's no reason not to offer both transmission variants.

FGII-XR6 · 08-09-2013, 06:51 PM

I am still very capable of driving a manual and sometimes have to drive a manual bus at work. with that out of the way I now have a definite auto preference for a number of reasons

a combination of sciatica and arthritis means my left leg isn't what it used to be.
modern autos are often more efficient than manuals returning quarter mile times equal to a manual and sometimes better
most if not all autos have a manual mode , you can elect to change gears but no clutch
for busy city driving an auto is far more practical.

too long in a manual for me means bad nerve pain in the left leg . I used to hate autos but lets face it the old 2 and 3 speed hydraulic autos weren't that flash.
to the OP production decisions aren't made on what people want to buy second hand, that is something that has come up frequently in XR8 discussions. every one wants a used XR8 but no one want to buy them new

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT69

Am I bad for believing auto boxes have ruined peoples ability to drive. So I for one, hope no auto's go into hot hatches.

**Silver Ghia** · 08-09-2013, 07:28 PM

Elaborating on my earlier post, maybe there is a market here in Aus for automatic versions of the ST's, but Ford Europe where these cars were developed would have most likely done their research to show that the relatively few cars they would sell would not make it worthwhile.

The manual mode in modern auto transmissions does not make it a manual. The drive is nowhere near as involving, and gear changes have not the direct mechanical linkage as with a manual transmission.

Many mishaps and sometimes fatalities occur especially with older drivers in automatics when they confuse the accelerator pedal with the brake pedal when parking, causing them to run into pedestrians, shopfronts and other cars. Its too easy for drivers who have driven manuals for many years to jump into automatics, without knowing about left foot braking which would avoid these accidents.

I'm 58 years of age, and frequently drive in the city and stop start freeway traffic in my FG manual. I bought the manual on purpose because I started to hate the automatic, my left leg was becoming numb from lack of use, and I wanted a more involving drive. I love the manual FG. And I can say after extensive driving in the UK, the stop start traffic here is nowhere near as what it is like over there where manual transmissions are far more popular. Drivers here (apart from those with disabilities and need an auto) are lazier.

jpd80 · 08-09-2013, 07:52 PM

Even the good old USA doesn't get Focus ST and Fiesta ST in automatics,

A little strange seeing as FNA developed automatic versions of 1.6 EB and 2.0 EB for the Fusion.

WILDB · 08-09-2013, 08:49 PM

There have never been any automatic ST or RS models.

I remember reading a quote from Jost Capito (former head of TeamRS, who were in charge of development of the ST) stating that there would be no automatic option for the ST as it wasn't fitting to the character of the ST and RS models.

Who knows whether future models will have auto/DCT options now that Jost is out of the picture?

Ben73 · 08-09-2013, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DASH GT

Its stupid... They are basically short selling themselves out of the market because there's plenty of people around who can drive Manual but choose auto. I am one of them.

Same here.
If I had a weekender or a track car or something like that I would love a manual. But I never want a manual for a daily drive.
I know people on forums like this bag people like me out, because driving an automatic is not really driving, but hey whatever. Ill keep not driving my automatic because it still brings me joy.

Best one I heard was someone told me they always buy manual because they don't know how to drive automatic. He said it's too hard for them. He was being 100% serious as well.

uniacidz · 08-09-2013, 10:07 PM

I know you want a Ford, but look elsewhere.

Hyundai Veloster SR Turbo
Renault Clio RS200 Turbo

Prob some others, but there are some out there
Also standard version, eg, Mazda 3 SP23 has auto and sports select or something like that.

Boza · 09-09-2013, 03:26 PM

My cousin said just convert the clutch pedal t a hand operated clutch will this work it's only a hypothetical

**DFB FGXR6** · 09-09-2013, 07:19 PM

The lack of automatic / powershift ST models go's against the whole "One Ford" thing they are always banging on about. Yes the car is aimed at manual loving euro markets and is a sporty car, but "One Ford" is supposed to bring models to customers that appeal to a wide range of countries, including auto loving Australia/USA.

SumoDog68 · 09-09-2013, 08:44 PM

Definition of what is automatic is needed - for me automated manual transmissions (dsg,powershift,pdk etc.) are not automatics even though they change gears without drivers input. Those are more efficient then conventional manuals due to ultra quick gear changes.
Torque multiplying conventional converter ,fluid type transimissions are "real" automatics. Those need some torque to operate nicely and that is why smaller engined cars struggle with them.

superpursuit83 · 10-09-2013, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boza

My cousin said just convert the clutch pedal t a hand operated clutch will this work it's only a hypothetical

But which hand? The steering hand or the gear change hand?

In Focus · 10-09-2013, 09:29 PM

You've got a few more choices than you used to in the small auto/semi-auto range. Polo GTI, Fabia RS (ahem), the upcoming Clio RS. A little slower but same size and you have the Swift Sport.

A little larger, and about the same speed as the Polo etc, you have the Veloster Turbo. A little larger than the Polo, but a bit slower than the Veloster Turbo, you get into the Nissan Pulsar STS/SSS, Cruze 1.6T, and the upcoming 2L Hyundai i30 and Kia Koup.

There is also an upcoming 1.6T Kia Pro'ceed hatchback, but I'm unsure if that will be manual only.

Unfortunately for the OP, none of them are Ford obviously, but maybe the upcoming Fiesta Zetec (1L Ecoboost) or the present diesel Focus 2L would hit the sweet spot? It would be better if Ford stuck the Fiesta ST 1.6L Ecoboost into an auto Focus, as it does overseas I believe, but Ford Australia has shown little interest in bringing it here to this point.

Halfmo Rocks · 11-09-2013, 01:11 AM

new upcoming clio sport is paddle shift job only...no clutched manual