Here we go again! There IS a direct mechanical link to the front axles. It's called the Front Axle Disconnect Actuator. Exact same thing as is on any 4WD vehicle. It engages/disengages the front axles mechanically. Also, just because there isn't a switch on the dash to select 4WD doesn't mean there isn't one. It's just controlled by the ECU instead of the driver. Everything from the display to the warning messeges, from the owners manual to Ford's branding calls it 4WD. The only real difference between the old school 4WD and this new 4WD technology is the addition of the wet clutch and it only distributes torque between the front and rear axles, not each wheel independently as a true AWD system does.