We usually expect to find a Sport button in supercars, coupe`s and even family car, but definitely not in a big pick-up truck. Even so, Ford engineers decided to offer F-150 clients a different feeling of the car by just pressing a newly introduced Sport button.
 
Ford says is blending the Sport mode feature borrowed from the all-new Mustang with the reduced weight of the all-new F-150 to deliver a dynamic driving experience with any of the four  powertrains available with the F-150.
 
Sport mode on F-150 is activated by pushing the tow/haul mode button twice. An amber S appears in the lower-right portion of the tachometer indicating sport mode is active.
 
The feature works by changing the frequency of gearshifts, so the truck stays in the powerband and holds lower gears longer to make driving more fun. That means less shifting on engaging drives, such as twisty roads with rolling hills. Instead of shifting gears up and down for peak efficiency, the transmission holds a specific gear longer.
 
Sport mode reduces the frequency of having to step on the gas pedal to reach peak torque – resulting in quicker acceleration with less pedal travel. The truck feels more responsive to the driver’s pedal inputs. When combined with the transmission changes, the result is an on-demand performance feel similar to what an aftermarket modification might add to the truck.
 
An advanced feature of F-150’s six-speed automatic transmission is its ability to match engine rpm as it downshifts in slowing for a corner. Electronics calibration for this feature comes straight out of Mustang.
 
“Our team realized how well the new F-150 handled and responded to acceleration due to its reduced weight,” said Karl Jungbluth, Ford transmission calibration engineer. “So we decided we could adapt the sport mode capabilities of the six-speed automatic transmission from Mustang to F-150 to enhance the overall driving experience for truck customers.”