Tata Motors plans dieting and Automatic Transmission for medium-size vehicles

Sources have told IndianAutosBlog.com that "work has already started" on Automatic Transmissions for cars "bigger than the Indica Vista." While the market is not immediately ready for Automatic transmissions, gradually the demand for them will pickup. Here's why -

• As more people take to cars, female drivers and elder citizens especially will find them convenient
• Traffic jams can be a less torturous experience behind the wheel of an AT variant
• People who see cars as white goods and not as a catalyst that provides a feast to the senses will find them worth considering
• AT technology is developing at a cheetah's pace and fuel efficiency figures are drawing closer to manual
• Tata Motors can export the AT variants to UK and Europe where there is higher demand

While the source will not give us additional details, it is learnt that testing of the new gearbox could begin testing in 2012. The Indigo Manza could carry it first, but we'll have to wait and see if Tata will provide it on the next generation Indica. This will be Tata's first attempt to develop an Automatic gearbox for a passenger vehicle.

Tata is also said to be putting its vehicles through a diet program. Details are sketchy, but new materials and certain lighter mechanical components could lead to a significant weight loss. A lighter car accelerates faster, stops quicker, handles better and stretches the buck at the pump.