Hyundai, currently India’s second largest budget automaker is expected to make its entry into the budget automatic segment. The South Korean manufacturer is expected to build the gearboxes in house and debut the box on its compact SUV which is India bound in 2018.
The SUV is will be followed by an AMT powered variant of the Eon, the only model in the Hyundai stable that is currently not offered with an AMT option. With a surge in demand for automatic options over the last two years, this seems like the right time for Hyundai to enter the two-pedal fray.
Currently, a majority of the AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) powered cars in the Indian market source their gearboxes from Magneti Marelli or Ricardo. This move to build them in house will allow the South Korean manufacturer to price the AMT equipped cars competitively when they are launched.
To recap, an automated manual transmission is where the car uses a conventional clutch operated gearbox but with a computer controlled hydraulic mechanism to perform the actions that pressing the clutch would normally entail. On our growingly congested roads this has become popular option as it gives of ease of driving as well as better fuel efficiency.
