Mahindra left everyone surprised with the host of innovative cars it unveiled at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo. Among these was the automatic version of its compact MUV, the Quanto. Called Quanto AutoShift, the sub-four-metre MUV featured a new five-speed AutoShift gearbox developed in conjunction with Ricardo. Similar to Maruti Suzuki’s AMT, this new transmission will provide the convenience of an automatic gearbox, without the complexities of one.
Exterior
Visually, the Quanto AT sticks to the car’s original design and does not feature any major cosmetic changes. Based on the Xylo MPV, the Quanto is the country’s first sub-four metre compact MUV which makes it eligible for the government’s concessions for small cars. In order to keep the length less than four metres, Mahindra chopped off a part of the rear. The front of the car features big headlamps and grille similar to the Xylo which shows that not much effort has been put into hiding the car’s origin. The shorter proportions give the Quanto a unique stance, which some might even refer to as sporty. The tailgate is flat and ends quite abruptly, but the spare wheel adds to the car’s distinct character.
Interior
The Quanto is the only seven-seater compact MUV sold in the Indian market. The large doors provide for easy access in and out of the car. The cabin is large and roomy and even the leg space is abundant, at least for the first two rows. The interior layout of the Quanto AT is very similar to that of the regular car, except for the centre console. The regular gear knob has been replaced with the new AutoShift stick. This gear lever in the default position sits in the right slot and has two markings there ‘N’ and ‘R’ and slotting it to the left gets it into ‘M’ mode with ‘+’ and ‘-‘ toggle functions for manual control. The Quanto top-end variant is well equipped with AC, power windows, twin airbags, ABS and alloy wheels.
Engine and Gearbox
The Quanto is powered by a three-cylinder 1.5-litre diesel engine, which produces 100bhp and 240Nm of torque. The engine powers the rear wheels through the five-speed AutoShift unit. The system is controlled by an advanced ECU and hydraulic actuation system which senses the necessary gear changes by operating on shift map and has tuned it to provide higher fuel efficiency. By eliminating a torque converter, Mahindra has managed to save on a lot of weight and cost. It can either be put into automatic or manually shift gears according to convenience, offering the best of both worlds. The Quanto AT also gets regenerative braking, further assisting fuel efficiency.
Competition and Price
Despite being the first in the segment, the Quanto hasn’t been very successful in the Indian market. With the Celerio AMT, Maruti Suzuki has shown that proper marketing can work wonders for a car manufacturer. With the AutoShift gearbox, Mahindra will again be the first manufacturer to offer an automatic compact MUV, though Mahindra will have to adopt a proper marketing strategy to make sure it doesn’t tank again. We expect the AutoShift to be offered on the lower three variants, the C2, C4 and C6 and to be priced in the Rs 6.5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh bracket, which will make it the cheapest MUV in the country.
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