Ford C6 transmission

The Ford C6 is a heavy-duty automatic transmission built by Ford Motor Company between 1966 and 2004. It was marketed as the "SelectShift Cruise-O-Matic." Compared to its predecessor MX transmission, the C6 offered lower weight, less complexity, less parasitic power loss, and greater torque capacity for larger engines. It did this without exceeding the packaging dimensions of the MX. These design goals were in line with those of the C4 for smaller engines. It was given the name "SelectShift" because if the transmission was placed in first or second gear, the transmission would use only the gear selected (i.e. would immediately activate that gear rather than initiating a sequence of shifts to arrive at it), whether from a standing stop or in motion. This was very helpful when driving in limited traction situations, where the torque of the engine would gradually move the vehicle, or if engine braking was needed on a downward incline. Once the transmission was placed in third, all three gears would be used in a normal fashion.