Maruti Suzuki launches three CNG cars with automatic gearbox option

Maruti Suzuki has taken a new step in the country's car market. The company has launched, for the first time, a combination of factory-fitted S-CNG with an automatic AMT gearbox. Earlier, customers had to choose between CNG or an automatic car, as getting both together was difficult. With this new technology, customers will now be able to get the cheaper running cost of CNG along with the experience of driving an automatic car.

This time, Maruti Suzuki has launched three of its early popular models. All three cars come with a 1.2 litre, 3 cylinder Z series petrol engine, paired with a 5 speed Automated Manual Transmission gearbox.

On models, prices and mileage, the Maruti Swift CNG AMT is priced at Rs 7.92 lakh and delivers a mileage of 35.34 km. The Maruti Baleno CNG AMT is priced at Rs 8.32 lakh, with a mileage of 34.47 km. The Maruti Dzire CNG AMT is priced at Rs 8.53 lakh and delivers a mileage of 36.47 km.

On features, these cars offer clutch-free driving, removing the hassle of repeatedly pressing the clutch in traffic. The company says the AMT version of these cars delivers slightly better mileage than the manual version. For safety, they come with features such as 6 airbags, ESP and hill hold assist.

This combination of CNG and AMT is being described as beneficial in several ways. Maruti's CNG cars are already known for their strong mileage, and the AMT technology does not significantly affect this mileage. It also removes the hassle of repeatedly changing gears and pressing the clutch in traffic. Compared to regular automatic cars, that is, those with CVT or torque converter gearboxes, AMT cars are considerably cheaper both to buy and to maintain.

Maruti Suzuki has become the second major company, after Tata Motors, to launch a CNG automatic car in the Indian automobile market. Given rising traffic in cities and rising petrol prices, these new cars are expected to get a good response from customers.