Tata’s teaser for the Altroz DCT makes bold claims about the new gearbox
Tata Motors has released a teaser video for the upcoming Altroz DCT, which has been anticipated since the premium hatchback went on sale in the country a few years ago.
https://twitter.com/TataMotors_Cars/status/1498168775686115334
The brand claims the new gearbox will bring a “gravitational shift in the realm of automatics”, a bold statement indeed, propagating the notion that the 7-speed automatic will bring about a change in the segment.
Set to be paired with the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that delivers a maximum of 110 PS and 140 Nm of peak torque, the DCT gearbox will be the first auto to be offered with the Altroz.
The only other car to come with a DCT in the segment would be the Hyundai i20
While the Tata Altroz DCT teaser was released only now, details about the gearbox emerged in December 2020. Even the additional weight the DCT ‘box will bring (about 22 kg) was reported about back then.
Tata is not expected to tune the turbo-petrol mill to produce more power to make up for the ponies the DCT will sap. Instead, the powertrain should be tuned to deliver instant torque at any gear, reducing acceleration times.
Also, with 2 additional gears over the manual, variants equipped with the DCT could return better fuel economy out in the highway. That said, there will be a downside too – the price.
At present, the Altroz iTurbo manual grades are priced between Rs. 8.10 lakhs and Rs. 9.40 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). The equivalent DCT variants could cost between Rs. 70,000/- to Rs. 1 lakh more.