Renault launched the Scala sedan with Automatic gear box in the Indian market. The French car maker introduced the X-tronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) on the Scala making it the first manufacturer to offer the next-generation transmission to the Indian premium sedan segment.
With the all new X-tronic transmission system, the Scala CVT promises to offer higher fuel efficiency of 17.97 KMPL (ARAI figure), which is comparable to premium sedans with manual transmission.
The Scala CVT will be available in the RXL and RXZ petrol variants.
Launched in September 2012, the Scala has been gaining customer confidence, already reaching 8% market share in the premium sedan segment in December 2012. Over 3,000 units of the Scala have been sold in 4 months. With the Scala CVT, Renault India aims to extend this success into the automatic sedan space, reiterating Renault’s commitment to India as well as the company’s drive to offer innovative vehicles in this dynamic market.
Speaking on the occasion, Marc NASSIF – MD, Renault India Pvt. Ltd. said, “With more and more cars on the road as well as frequent stop-and-go traffic, India has been seeing an increase in demand for automatic sedans in recent years. However, despite the growing interest for these cars, petrol automatic vehicles are still limited to a 6% share in the premium sedan segment because they deliver lower mileage and higher cost of ownership”.
“The Scala X-tronic CVT aims to bridge this gap by offering class-leading fuel efficiency, reliability and performance. With the next-generation X-tronic transmission, customers will be able to experience a new technological benchmark in automatic transmission, which offers a smoother ride, convenience and savings, making the Scala CVT an attractive choice for those opting for an automatic premium sedan.”
Difference between a normal CVT and X-tronic transmission
The X-tronic CVT combines innovative structure and the flexibility of a CVT transmission to offer higher fuel efficiency and performance. The transmission’s use an auxiliary gearbox which enables higher transmission ratios, even broader than 7-speed automatic transmissions, aimed at achieving light weight, compactness, and fuel efficiency.
Conventional CVT transmissions use larger pulleys to achieve higher transmission ratio, but are often constrained by the space limitations of small cars. The new-generation X-tronic CVT overcomes this obstacle and achieves the widest range of transmission ratio coverage (3.46:1) using a sub planetary gear, allowing smaller pulleys to reach higher transmission ratio.
It also achieves reduced oil stirring friction by increasing the distance between surface of transmission oil and pulleys. With this pioneering arrangement, the X-tronic CVT transmission produces around 30% less friction and is 10% smaller as well as 13% lighter than conventional CVT models.
In terms of ride quality, X-tronic CVT transmission allows for infinite gear change ratios, leading to smoother gear shifting, accurate speed control, smooth and stable engine braking, better responsiveness to quick throttle and, above all, a smoother driving experience. With its flexibility, the transmission avoids the shift-shock fluctuations in torque transmission experienced with conventional automatic transmission while also maintaining optimum torque.
