[Aditya]

German luxury carmaker Audi, is considering launching manual transmission variants of the A3 and A4 sedans in India.

At present, the A3 and A4 are available with automatic transmissions only. However, the company believes that in India, there is a strong demand for manual variants. The Q3 SUV accounts for 25-30% of Audi's sales in the country. Of that, about 10-12% comes from the manual version of the car.

The Q3 manual cost about Rs. 3 lakh less than the automatic. The A3 and A4 could get the Q3's MQ 350 6-speed manual transmission. They are also likely to be priced lower than their automatic siblings.

If the A3 and A4 are launched with manual transmissions, it will make them the only ones in their respective segments. Audi's competitors, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, have revealed that they have no plans to launch manual versions of their cars in India.

At the same time, Audi has revealed that it does not plan to launch a hatchback to rival the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and BMW 1-Series.

Source: ET Auto

[Freewheelin_KD]

Saw an A4 on test near the Fort (Mumbai) area yesterday. Couldn't take pics since I was driving but it was wearing a similar trim to the Q3 manual version having halogen headlamps and DRLs (like the 2011 launch model of the current Jetta).

[amit]

Great if they actually do it and I am sure sales of these models will surely go up with the M/T. Many people would buy the manual as in India these cars are mainly chauffeur driven and for that night out for dinner or a weekend getaway the owner can enjoy driving too.

The one company that should launch manuals is BMW - at least for the 3 series & M series of cars.

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Could well work given the sheer number of chauffeur driven people in this segment. Lower hence more attractive price tags with the Audi badge.

Win-win for many.

[karan561]

Whats the point having a M/T in a front wheel drive car ? The A3 or A4 will be no different than a Jetta or an Octavia.

It wasnt that the customers had begged Audi for an M/T that Audi offered a Manual option. So, what Audi see as "demand" is nothing but offer an Audi badge at a lower price and there are more takers for it.

Merc used to give M/T IIRC, also have a friend who is having a 2010 C Class (c200 Kompressor variant as M/T).

As amit said in the above post, that BMW should launch M/T & then we are talking.

Regarding M cars;

M3, M4 can be had in M/T as an option. Sadly M5 doesnt do Manuals (only US spec i.e. LHD variants has M/T)

So yes there will be a time when people will pay extra for a M/T like there used to be a time when people paid extra for an A/T.

Lets hope for the best

[reddevilgautam]

Didn't the Audi Q3 sport with MT fail and is now discontinued?

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Originally Posted by karan561

Whats the point having a M/T in a front wheel drive car ? The A3 or A4 will be no different than a Jetta or an Octavia.

So, what Audi see as "demand" is nothing but offer an Audi badge at a lower price and there are more takers for it.

So you see...you've answered your own question. There are takers for it since the price dramatically goes down.

Things like Front engine, RWD, engine behind front axle and such fancy things dont matter to a majority of the people. People like you and me who bother about the aforementioned things also dont matter simply since we form a minority.

Also as much as you refer to it as no different from a Skoda or a VW, fact remains people will still opt for an Audi badge at relatively better value and people looking at it as a glorified skoda or vw will still be less in comparison. End of the day they still get to say "I own an Audi " because thats where the sentence ends for most people. "...but its an MT with halogens and fwd so very similar to a jetta " is hogwash which wont make sense to many people.

Its a good move for business and their here to do just that.

[avira_tk]

Audi won't be offering too many of the A3 with manual transmission, its a classic bait and switch tactic, get a walk in and upsell the car.

The manual A4 may have more available as Audi can clear the stock over a period of time as the car is going to be replaced with a new car and a lower price point will push up sales, the badge is the appealing bit here not the mechanicals.

[JediKnight]

Great news. Forget the business reasons. There is nothing that beats the good old manual for driving pleasure for the true enthusiast.

Moreover it will improve the reliability of the cars. Complex mechatronic gearboxes like the DSG were one of the reasons that the big German cars have a reputation of poor reliability. It will also be a boon for people who want to keep their cars for long times and will be more mod friendly.

I hope Merc and BMW follow suit.

[GTO]

It's a win-win situation for all.

For Enthusiasts: I've owned a C220 with a lovely 6-speed manual and can tell you, for MT lovers like us, nothing comes close. It was pure driving pleasure (compared to the slushbox experience).

If Audi can make it work in the market, others will surely follow. Imagine the fun behind the wheel of a tight 3-Series with a 6-speed manual.

For Regular Joes: Chauffeur-driven owners will probably choose the manual because it's cheaper (though an AT will bring them a smoother jerk-free ride). Even some self-driven owners might choose to buy the manual and save 2 - 3 lakhs.

For Audi: A cheaper variant - if marketed well - can only mean more sales. If it adds only 10% volume, that's still 10% gained. Their effort is nothing anyway, not like they have to design a gearbox themselves. Merely email an order sheet to the parent company asking for xxxx units of gearboxes in the next shipment.

I hate the fact that you can't buy a premium car in India with a manual gearbox anymore.

Originally Posted by JediKnight

Moreover it will improve the reliability of the cars. Complex mechatronic gearboxes like the DSG were one of the reasons that the big German cars have a reputation of poor reliability. It will also be a boon for people who want to keep their cars for long times and will be more mod friendly.

Superb point

[latentpotential]

As a regular joe with a chauffeur driven car, my bigger issue is that the driver may not shift gears properly at all times (especially when driving the car alone) post a drop-off, and ride/ abuse the clutch at times knowingly or unknowingly, especially in Mumbai peak hour traffic (twice a day 5 days a week). A slush box would ensure that these regular costs will be kept away from my ownership experience whenever I decide to get a car from the stated segment in this thread. This is my view, other may definitely differ.

[dipen]

Problem is when the companies detune the manual variants. The manual seekers feel cheated somehow. I am sure Audi will not provide the A4 with 177hp.

[IshaanIan]

Great news IMO like GTO said, it's really sad to see a lack of manual gearboxes on cars such as these.

Originally Posted by latentpotential

As a regular joe with a chauffeur driven car, my bigger issue is that the driver may not shift gears properly at all times (especially when driving the car alone) post a drop-off, and ride/ abuse the clutch at times knowingly or unknowingly, especially in Mumbai peak hour traffic (twice a day 5 days a week). A slush box would ensure that these regular costs will be kept away from my ownership experience whenever I decide to get a car from the stated segment in this thread. This is my view, other may definitely differ.

Honestly, if you're driver can't drive stick he doesn't deserve to be in your employ also, replacing a clutch perhaps 10k kms earlier than usual, certainly beats low in-city mileage figures and expenses incurred on account of DSG issues

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Honestly, if you're driver can't drive stick he doesn't deserve to be in your employ also, replacing a clutch perhaps 10k kms earlier than usual, certainly beats low in-city mileage figures and expenses incurred on account of DSG issues

I've seen maybe 1 or 2 drivers who actually drive a manual with proper gear changes, and don't lug the engine or use half clutch. So yes I would prefer to give my drivers automatics, something I plan on doing in the next year or so.

DSG doesn't give lower mileage in the city, and IMO its much easier to tell a driver to put the box in N at stops than teach them the nuances of driving a manual properly.

[latentpotential]

Originally Posted by akshay1234

I've seen maybe 1 or 2 drivers who actually drive a manual with proper gear changes, and don't lug the engine or use half clutch. So yes I would prefer to give my drivers automatics, something I plan on doing in the next year or so.

DSG doesn't give lower mileage in the city, and IMO its much easier to tell a driver to put the box in N at stops than teach them the nuances of driving a manual properly.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Great news IMO like GTO said, it's really sad to see a lack of manual gearboxes on cars such as these.



Honestly, if you're driver can't drive stick he doesn't deserve to be in your employ also, replacing a clutch perhaps 10k kms earlier than usual, certainly beats low in-city mileage figures and expenses incurred on account of DSG issues

Akshay1234 seems to have had experiences somewhat like mine to make such a statement.

Further, I add, the driver is not just to drive a car from A to B. He also needs to be someone that the family can trust for their safety in all situations and can depend on for help. We choose our staff based on their values overall and not just a single ability to move the gears. Everything has its place and needs to be seen in context of the role proffered and accountability needed. Again this varies for people based on their needs at a point in time and their station in life.