[TusharK]

According to a media report, Maruti Suzuki is gearing up to introduce a 6-speed gearbox in its vehicles later this year. The transmission has been codenamed MF30.



The report claims that Maruti is planning to build 50,000 units of the 6-speed gearbox in the first year of its production. However, it is estimated that the demand for the gearbox will rise to 4,00,000 units per year by 2020.

It has been reported that the first car likely to receive the new transmission is the new Swift, which is currently equipped with a 5-speed gearbox. At present, Maruti's entire model range comes with a 5-speed transmission. With the 6-speed gearbox, Maruti will hope to improve the overall performance of its vehicles. Click here to read about the advantages and disadvantages of a 6-speed transmission.

It may be noted that other car companies including Hyundai, Jeep, Mahindra, Renault and Tata are offering 6-speed transmissions in many of their vehicles already. Initially, Maruti used to sell the S-Cross with a 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine paired with a 6-speed gearbox. This engine and gearbox combination was discontinued and at present, the car comes with a 1.3-litre diesel engine mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox only.

Maruti Suzuki has not made any official announcement about this development.

Source: Moneycontrol

Link to Team-BHP News

[humyum]

Imagine a 6 speed Swift DDIS crusing along at 120 kmph at 2400 rpm than its current 2900 rpm *Goosebumps* . Highways will be so much more fun! Maruti, I can't wait for years and decades for you to bring out the good stuff, please get this pronto in your entire lineup!

[Mad Max]

Please Lord, give them the wisdom to also look for a 6-speed proper automatic for the S-Cross along with the 1.6 that they can re-introduce as per your will.

[avdhesh15]

What nonsense. I was salivating when I read the headline because I thought they are getting a 6-speed CVT or DCT or something on those lines.

Bummer Maruti. Time to buy some more shares in the company.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by avdhesh15

What nonsense. I was salivating when I read the headline because I thought they are getting a 6-speed CVT or DCT or something on those lines.

Bummer Maruti. Time to buy some more shares in the company.

On the plus side, 6 speed AMT could follow isn't it.

Jokes apart, Maruti is playing the cards right and we'll placed to lead car sales until we see some disruption may be like EVs.

It is a welcome move and Maruti wants to ensure millions of owners continue to upgrade to another Maruti.

[Rahul Rao]

Maruti will do anything and it will sell, a large part of the populace trust Maruti blindly. The need today is for a 6 speed automatic, either a dual clutch or an effecient torque converter with lockup programmed from atleast the 3rd gear.

Rahul

[chiranjitp]

With the speed limit on the highways being increased & with ever increasing average speeds (mostly due to improving road condition), the 6-speed gearboxes are always welcome. Not only will it allow the engine to cruise at low RPMs at highway speeds, the initial gears can also be kept on the shorter side which will help in city driveability. Just imagine the results of the ARAI fuel efficiency tests with a 6-speed GB & a Maruti engine (which is always tuned for mileage), I am betting at least some of the diesel models will surpass the 30kmpl mark.

Though I believe that the 1.3L DDiS engine won't be paired with the 6-speed GB as this engine is being discontinued in the near future. It seems initially the GB would be mated with the petrol engines & then the all new in-house diesel engine would come with the new 6-speed GB.

[sandeepmdas]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

On the plus side, 6 speed AMT could follow isn't it.

Renault is already offering a 6-speed AMT in the Duster since 2016. Their AMT lineup is branded as EASY-R. The 6-speed AMT in the Duster AMT 110ps is basically a bolt-on job; it is using the same manual gearbox standard in 110ps model, coupled with actuators and a control unit.

In fact, MSIL too should offer the AMT along with the upcoming gearbox right from day one and name it something like "6-pack".

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by humyum

Imagine a 6 speed Swift DDIS crusing along at 120 kmph at 2400 rpm than its current 2900 rpm *Goosebumps* . Highways will be so much more fun! Maruti, I can't wait for years and decades for you to bring out the good stuff, please get this pronto in your entire lineup!

Gone are the days people used to 'imagine' about a Swift. Used to happen a decade back but nowadays its just another mass market car, and the engine range is nothing special for the times either.

The complete lack of enthusiam in the Team Bhp thread is a direct gauge of this fall of interest among enthusiasts.

[sureshkishore]

Despite not offering much for the enthusiast, Maruti Line up has 6 out of the top 10 cars sold in india. This speaks volumes about how Maruti has understood the Indian car buyer. I certainly ogle at my neighbor's Red Polo GT TSi, however honestly I never had second thoughts when I bought my new Baleno. But that does not make myself a non enthusiast. I certainly appreciate the technological superiority of some of the other brands that have on offer. However when the question arises on where I put my money, mind rules over the heart. Let's face it, car enthusiasts who actually end up purchasing the car they really fancy, are a minority. I certainly think that a six speed GB would be a boon for mile munchers like me, for the extra FE and reduced NVH it would offer.

[jetsetgo08]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

The complete lack of enthusiam in the Team Bhp thread is a direct gauge of this fall of interest among enthusiasts.

I guess many are waiting for the official review.

Off late, many are actually rooting to head over heart decisions (safe bet vs risky bet). But this certainly has a lot to do with external factors, esp. to those working in the private sector. Which leaves the core enthusiasts, who anyways wouldn't have bought the Swift.

[humyum]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Gone are the days people used to 'imagine' about a Swift. Used to happen a decade back but nowadays its just another mass market car, and the engine range is nothing special for the times either.

The complete lack of enthusiam in the Team Bhp thread is a direct gauge of this fall of interest among enthusiasts.

I don't think Swift falls in a mass market category even though the number suggests otherwise. Swift is an emotion, its progress and changes are more awaited by some of us than the budget. Look at the bookings in just a few weeks of it coming out? 70 thousand and counting, some cars in the segment don't sell that much in the entire year.

Yes, its engine is nothing to write home about on paper but when on the highway, its playfulness can't be matched by any car in the segment or even one above, its a connect which I don't think I have found with any other car in the market.

Let's see when the deliveries of the car start, how many threads on team-bhp open up for those, the real enthusiasm will also come when the team-bhp review of the swift is out.

[Rahul Rao]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

Though I believe that the 1.3L DDiS engine won't be paired with the 6-speed GB as this engine is being discontinued in the near future. It seems initially the GB would be mated with the petrol engines & then the all new in-house diesel engine would come with the new 6-speed GB.

Why not. The 1.3 in the swift is at 2000 Rpm just above 80, engine has good torque in that range, if 100 comes up at about 2000 it will be a very quiet and comfortable cruise. The ratio gap between 1st and 2nd is also noticeably high, many times at slow speed in traffic, especially on a grade, the engine rpm seems too high in 1st , but too low in second, a closer ratioed 6 speed will address this.

Originally Posted by sureshkishore

Despite not offering much for the enthusiast, MS Line up has 6 out of the top 10 cars sold in india. This speaks volumes about how MS has understood the Indian car buyer............................. However when the question arises on where I put my money, mind rules over the heart. Let's face it, car enthusiasts who actually end up purchasing the car they really fancy, are a minority.

This is only due to the media highlighting small issues with non Maruti cars, and the general perception that what sells most must be cheapest to maintain. Any company or family which owns multiple cars, and keeps a tab on expenses will agree that it's a myth that Maruti's are cheaper to maintain. Availability of spares and service in any obscure corner of the country is the only advantage one experiences in a Maruti.

Rahul

[DrANTO]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Gone are the days people used to 'imagine' about a Swift. Used to happen a decade back but nowadays its just another mass market car, and the engine range is nothing special for the times either.

The complete lack of enthusiam in the Team Bhp thread is a direct gauge of this fall of interest among enthusiasts.

Completely agree with Crazy Driver. Swift was a special car when it was launched a decade ago. It was good looking, handling was great, superb engines (especially the DDiS engine), reliable and cheap to maintain. There was no competition for swift at that time. Now the scenario has changed. It is just another offering from Maruti-Suzuki which will sell in good numbers but I don't see enthusiasts and mass market embracing it in the same manner like the previous generation. Even for a family man, Baleno is a more practical car which is just 50-75 k above swift.

[vishy76]

I will play the devil's advocate here. Let me clarify:

- Owners complaining that the 1.3 DDIS is a bit more stressed than it should be is completely justified. Having said that, a 6th Cog isn't as easy to add as it seems

- An overdrive ratio will be unusually high. This means that you will be compelled to downshift for any overtaking. The 1.3 as we all know already has a bad bottom end. If the diesel does anywhere below 2K rpm in 6th, the extra cog will only be usable for cruising (seldom done on Indian roads)

- I think what Maruti should do instead is tweak the 5th gear ratio and make it slightly taller. Even if 100 comes up at around 2K rpm, I think it will suffice. No need to add an extra cog. A 6 speed will be needed in larger engines of course. The 1.6 DDIS and the 2.0 (If Maruti plans) would be more deserving.