If you've been up-to-date on all things Tata Altroz, you'll know the premium hatchback will launch in February 2020 and will go on sale with the option of BS6 petrol and diesel engines. What you'll also know is that there will be no automatic options at launch. The good news is that Tata is working on an Altroz automatic, and the better news is that the gearbox in question will be a dual-clutch transmission.
We had first reported of Tata's interest in dual-clutch automatics for its premium line-up back in February 2018, and we can now confirm the Altroz will be the first product to feature the gearbox. Confirming the news, Mayank Pareek, President, Passenger Vehicles, Tata Motors hinted an AMT or automated manual transmission simply wouldn't cut it in the premium hatchback segment. Tata offers AMTs on the Nano, Tiago, Tigor and Nexon but a DCT will be a first for the brand. While pricier than AMTs, DCTs are far more sophisticated and offer the best of both worlds - slick gearshifts without the penalty of low fuel economy.
The Altroz auto will be based around the 1.2-litre petrol engine version; a diesel-auto is not on the cards. In all likelihood, Tata Motors will use a Punch-sourced 7-speed DT-1 dual-clutch transmission. The DT-1 has been designed for compact cars (with torque of up to 200Nm) and is relatively more affordable than typical dual-clutch or torque converter systems.
Tata Motors has not given a specific time frame for launch but is looking to introduce the Altroz auto by October 2020. In the premium hatchback segment, the Maruti Baleno, Honda Jazz and Hyundai i20 feature CVT autos while the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI comes with a dual-clutch auto.
Also see:
Tata Altroz variants explained
Tata Altroz Voice BoT based on Google Assistant