The automated manual transmission (AMT) gearbox has found quite alot of takers in India. Maruti Suzuki had taken a note of it when they launched the AMT Celerio at the start of this year and quite recently also introduced the refreshed Alto K10 with the AMT gearbox. However, it seems like there is no stopping them as there are reports suggesting that a WagonR with an AMT gearbox will also be offered soon, but only in the Stingray model.
The WagonR is a popular hatchback in India due its tallboy design and decent cabin space. The Stingray is based on the WagonR and gets some cosmetic changes that make the car look more premium than the standard WagonR. The car comes equipped with projector headlamps, new bumpers, restyled tail lamps and sports a new design for the alloy wheels. The standard features in the cabin of the Stingray are expected to be carried over to the AMT version as well.
The WagonR Stingray is powered by the 1.0-litre K10 petrol engine that churns out 67bhp of power and 90Nm of torque. In the AMT variant, the five-speed manual gearbox will be replaced by the Magneti Marelli five-speed automated manual transmission that is also seen in the Celerio and Alto K10 AMT models.
This is a good step by Maruti Suzuki, but will they be able to cater to the high demand of the AMT cars? Considering that at present they receive only 3,500 units of the AMT gearbox per month, it might get difficult for them to contain the waiting period of more AMT vehicles. However, the manufacturer is in talks with Magneti Marelli to source 5,000 units of the gearbox per month, which will help them offer more AMT cars for the Indian market and eventually also ease the long waiting period.
The AMT WagonR Stingray might be launched in early 2015 and demand a price of Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 more than the standard hatchback. It will then rival the upcoming Bolt hatchback from Tata.
Source: ACI
