[ananth_iy]

In fact, I would almost hold Maruti's ridiculous 3-speed AT transmission to be wholly and solely responsible for all the bad blood about ATs in India. No better way to kill any interest that anyone could have had in ATs than showing them a 3-speed AT and then inducing them to buy the manual variant.

[pgsagar]

Originally Posted by ananth_iy

In fact, I would almost hold Maruti's ridiculous 3-speed AT transmission to be wholly and solely responsible for all the bad blood about ATs in India. No better way to kill any interest that anyone could have had in ATs than showing them a 3-speed AT and then inducing them to buy the manual variant.

Totally agree with you. It is these half-baked attempts which kill a new segment even before it is born.

[mempheS.D]

Originally Posted by ananth_iy

In fact, I would almost hold Maruti's ridiculous 3-speed AT transmission to be wholly and solely responsible for all the bad blood about ATs in India.

You are referring to the old zen right? You are absolutely right. I remember driving one of that with a friend of mine from Calicut to Mangalore sometime in 2003. Although the car was a breeze and a luxury at that time, within the city limits (when I could lift and place my left limb on the dash just to show that I drive an AT.. :P); it was a real bummer on the highways with its 3-speed box.

I have never driven an AT here in India until I TD the Brio AT a few days ago. It's the exact recipe for those newbies who not only need a car to get from point A to point B, but one that is sedate and mature. I have already recommended the Brio AT to about 4 people I know, of which one has already booked the Brio AT. Just fyi- these are aged persons who had given up hope on driving their own car, or people who recently got their license and are eager to get on the road with their own car.

The Ritz AT would be a good competitor for the Brio but I will HOLD that comment till I have driven one.

At this pace, I hope the day is nt too far in India when people freak out and exclaim, "You drive a stick!!!!?????!!! Weirdo...". Way to go Honda.

[kmadhok]

Has anyone had any luck with any dealers being aware of this variant?

[latentpotential]

Originally Posted by kmadhok

Has anyone had any luck with any dealers being aware of this variant?

Yes indeed! Earlier today I received information from my regular dealer - they have started taking bookings at an estimated price of 6 Lacs in Mumbai/ Thane - Octroi Paid prices. Final prices and delivery dates will be announced in a weeks time.

[kmadhok]

Am disappointed in Maruti. Still no information with the dealers on this. I had raised my hopes of getting one of these.

[Guna]

http://www.autocarindia.com/News/322...ext-month.aspx

Finally it is official

[9thsphinx]

Why would anyone get the Ritz with a 4speed AT setup for 6L+ when the Brio with a 5 speed autobox comes cheaper?

[Prodigyy]

With that pricing of 6.3L ex-showroom maruti has pretty much made sure that Ritz remains to be an also-ran for MSIL, with both the i10 as well as the brio cheaper than the Ritz AT, i don't foresee Ritz AT to be anywhere close to be a AT chart-buster.

Maruti has clearly missed a big opportunity, a better pricing strategy would have given a great option for people looking for an AT hatch. Disappointed with this price, i myself would have definitely gone in for one for my dad.

[Vid6639]

The Maruti automatics are priced very strangely.

The A-star AT is just 50K above the Vxi MT trim and offers ABS over the Vxi MT, the dizre AT in comparison is 1.2L more than the VXi. How strange.

I was expecting the Ritz AT to be 60K more than the Ritz Mt VXi trim and have ABS. That means around 5.7L ex-showroom.

If they price it at 6.3L then Brio and i10 are the way to go.

[kmadhok]

6.3L ex-showroom is an unbelievable price. I would assume the author meant 6.3L on-road [even though he explicitly mentions ex-showroom]. There are conflicting reports on the pricing, and I guess none can be sure until we hear from the horses mouth. This report from indiacarsandbikes.in pegs the ex-showroom at 5.5L, which seems more believable.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by Saanil

I think the Dzire AT is also a 4 speed automatic – I suppose the same gearbox will find its way into Ritz. Also has Maruti officially announced this?

In the picture the gate appears to be more like the AStar gate. If it is an upratred AStar unit then it is great, else we may end up with the old 3-speed with a 4th speed grafted on as is the case with the DZire. I had suffered the 3-speed (in my Zen) from 1999 till I sold it in 2005, a petrol guzzling disaster, no less.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

In the picture the gate appears to be more like the AStar gate. If it is an upratred AStar unit then it is great, else we may end up with the old 3-speed with a 4th speed grafted on as is the case with the DZire. I had suffered the 3-speed (in my Zen) from 1999 till I sold it in 2005, a petrol guzzling disaster, no less.

There is no such thing as a 3+1 speed Maruti transmission. Both the A-star and Dzire have the same 4 speed transmission.

In A-star "D" means 1-2-3-4, "3" means 1-2-3 and then you have "2" and "L"

In case of Dzire you have "D" which means 1-2-3 with OD off and 1-2-3-4 with OD on. There is no dedicated "3" on the Dzire since the OD function is exactly the same.

I have driven the A-star AT and can confirm that even if you use "3" there is no additional engine braking or downshifting. It is the same, only difference being it will not go up to 4.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

I have driven the A-star AT and can confirm that even if you use "3" there is no additional engine braking or downshifting. It is the same, only difference being it will not go up to 4.

So the old 3 plus OD is hiding in a new gate. Thank God I waited for the Brio AT.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

So the old 3 plus OD is hiding in a new gate. Thank God I waited for the Brio AT.

Nope it's just a regular 4 speed one not a 3 + OD type at all.

I actually found the A-star a little better to drive in city than the Brio. I drove the Brio AT twice and on both occasions found the gearbox hunting or in the wrong gear on part throttle. The box is too aggressive sometimes and down shifts even when you do not needed. Other times it goes to first even though second is enough. As Anshuman mentioned in our official review the box gets confused on part throttle.

The Brio has a D3 mode which does the same as the A-star "3" mode. I did not notice any engine braking in D3. So my guess is the Brio has a 3 + 2 OD gearbox with 2 OD ratios grafted on?