As far as the Indian automotive scene is concerned, the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo was a prelude of how things were going to unfold in the next two years. It is a given that a lot of cars will make their way into India, but Mahindra showcased something that might topple the permutations a bit.
The company showed off their compact SUV Quanto, which came with the option of an AMT (automated manual transmission). Christened the Quanto Autoshift, it will feature a new 5-speed automated manual gearbox developed in conjunction with UK-based Ricardo.
The facelift version of the Quanto, codenamed U215, is also in the works though there is still a shadow of doubt if the facelift will be subtle or not. Mahindra has also been working on its all-new Compact SUV, the S101 and the Bolero too is due for a facelift. In the middle of all of this, the Quanto with an AMT might help them boost the sales of this car.
Though the car that we saw at the Auto Expo also boasted of regenerative braking, we are not quite sure if this feature will be carried over.
Under the hood, the Quanto AMT will receive the same 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder, 100bhp churning diesel mill. Considering the number of vehicles that Mahindra has on its drawing board currently, it is targeting everything from the the Ford EcoSport, Fiat Avventura among other cross hatches, to the Renault Duster/ Nissan Terrano. It should suffice to say that an AMT in this segment will make a lot of difference.
