Tata Zica confirmed to get AMT - Report

Rival Celerio offers an AMT with a petrol engine.

Tata Motors revealed the technical specifications of its forthcoming offering, the Zica, last week. While the spec sheet has no mention of an automated manual transmission (AMT), a report on Business Standard confirms the technology for the small car later in its lifecycle.

The publication spoke to Girish Wagh, senior vice president, programme planning and management (passenger cars), Tata Motors, who said - "We will provide Zica with AMT when the model gets absorbed in the market and is ready for its next stage of growth." Mr. Wagh further mentioned that the AMT variants of the GenX Nano, which were launched in May this year, contribute more than 50 percent of total Nano sales.

The Maruti Celerio, which is a key rival for the Zica, offers an AMT with its petrol engine. The Celerio, which was the first passenger vehicle to get an AMT in India, is available with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder K-Series engine or Suzuki's self-developed 0.8-liter two-cylinder DDiS diesel engine. The Zica though is powered by three-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, the former being an all-new unit, while the latter is derived from Tata's 1.4-liter unit.

Also read: Tata GenX Nano AMT - First Drive Review

The Zica is expected to have its market launch in the first week of January 2016. A compact sedan based on the small car will follow, with a launch expected in the first half of next year.

[Source - Business Standard]