Tata Zest diesel AMT could command long waiting period

Tata Motors recently launched the Zest compact sedan. The car comes with a host of features, many of which are segment-firsts. Among them is an Automated Manual Transmission (F-Tronic) for its diesel variant. This gearbox makes the car relatively stress-free to drive, particularly in bumper-to-bumper traffic conditions since it does not involve the use of a clutch pedal. Additionally, the economy of diesel and a relatively low price of Rs. 6.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) makes it a very attractive prospect. Dealers have reported that even thought this variant (XMA) has not yet been displayed in showrooms, it is the one that customers are most interested in. However, if you are looking to buy one, there is a good chance that you will have to wait really long before getting delivery of the car. The demand for the car is huge and the waiting period for the car is said to be 3-4 months. This period is expected to rise once the car hits the company's showrooms.

The AMT gearbox is manufactured by Italian company, Magnetti Marelli, which supplies transmissions for the Maruti Suzuki Celerio as well. The company has been unable to match the demand for the Celerio AMT, which has resulted in a waiting period of more than 6 months. It is possible that Magnetti Marelli prioritises the supply of transmissions to Maruti over Tata to clear the backlog, which means that Zest XMA deliveries could be delayed.

The Zest is said to have gained a lot of popularity in the Indian market owing to its features and pricing and even manual transmission variants command a waiting period of 1.5-2 months. The Zest is an important product for Tata Motors. The manufacturer is banking on it to capture the market share that it has lost to competitors like Maruti and Hyundai.

Source: Autocar India