After a number of teasers over the past month, Tata Motors has finally launched the automatic version of the Altroz in India. It’s called the Altroz DCA (Dual-Clutch Automatic), and prices start at Rs 8.10 lakh and go up to Rs 9.90 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi). All in all, the Altroz DCA is available in seven variants, two of which are the beloved #Dark editions. There’s also a new colour option called ‘Opera Blue’, which basically looks like a darker version of the already existing ‘Harbour Blue’. In total, there are six colour options. But, what about that automatic transmission?

As mentioned earlier, it is a dual-clutch automatic and uses the same technology that a dual-clutch transmission does, conventionally speaking. However, Tata Motors has made some changes to the gearbox to make it more user friendly in a country like India. For example, usually, a DCT has nearly 20 gears within the transmission system for conducting the shifting process. Tata’s six-speed DCA uses only 13 gears, which should make things a little more efficient thanks to lesser moving parts. Tata also claims that the DCA has 35 percent lesser components than the conventional DCT. Do note that the automatic version is about 20 kilograms heavier than the manual variants.

The DCA gearbox also comes with a separation between the wet clutches, which should mean a cooler transmission. Speaking of which, there’s also an active cooling technology for the wet clutch, which is monitored 100 times per second. It basically ensures that the gearbox responds well in hot or cold conditions. That’s not all, Tata Motors has also added a unique ‘Auto Park Lock’ feature that ensures that given a certain number of parameters, the Altroz DCA will automatically shift into ‘Park’ mode. These include if the engine is on, the pedals are inactive, the driver’s side door is open and if the seatbelt is unbuckled.