Tata Nano showcased the Tata Nano Twist F-Tronic concept at the 2014 Auto Expo. The concept carries the F-Tronic 5-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) with a Mechatronic Unit and is showcased at the DriveNEXT division at the Tata Motors pavilion. The car on display was a cut section showing the working of the mechanism in the car.
The F-Tronic system has been sourced from Magneti Marelli who is also the technology supplier to Formula 1 teams like Lotus and Ferrari. The car features an electro-hydraulic mechanism which uses an electronic control unit and a hydraulic system to manage clutch usage and gear shifting. The driver can thus shift gears without the need of a clutch pedal, and have smooth driving experience on road.
The Transmission Control Unit (TCU) is at the core of the gear control system and manages the gear changes by controlling the clutch, gears and the engine. The electronic optimization coupled with engine control results in higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions. The AMT unit is able to deliver a 10-15 percent increase in the fuel efficiency of the car, over a conventional automatic transmission.
The Tata Nano AMT will make a great city car with a functioning tailgate and power steering. When the concept does hit production, the Nano Twist F-Tronic will be the cheapest automatic car that will be available in the country surpassing the reigning Maruti Celerio.
