Renault steps into AMT territory with 2016 Duster

The rising popularity of automated manual transmission is no secret and in line with this trend, Renault has unveiled the Dacia-badged 2016 Duster at the Frankfurt Motor Show with its own AMT called ‘Easy-R’.

Mated to the TCe 90 engine, which is also equipped with stop-start functionality, the new five-speed transmission will make life on the road easier for drivers by providing the convenience of a gearbox without a clutch pedal, Renault claims.

The Duster has been the automaker’s most sold car worldwide and Renault has made sure that the latest iteration of its ‘most affordable SUV’ gets all the creature comforts. The 2016 Duster features new upholstery trims, diamond-effect black wheels, the ‘Media-Nav Evolution’ sat-nav multimedia system and a reversing camera as well.

The mechanics of Easy-R
The Easy-R is Renault’s answer to the highly popular Auto Gear Shift by Suzuki found on cars like the Maruti Celerio and Tata Motors’ Easy Shift seen in the Zest and the Nano in India.

The Easy-R, like all other AMT gearboxes, comes with a ‘drive’ mode and a manual mode. The drive mode on the gearbox frees the driver from certain actions (disengagement/reengagement of the clutch and gear selection). The transmission chooses the best compromise between fuel economy and acceleration, so there’s no risk of stalling and the engine will neither labour nor over-rev.

In the manual mode, performance is the focus as the driver decides when to select and change gears. Drivers can choose an appropriate gear in the event of a sudden, unexpected passing manoeuvre, or when grip levels are low.

In drive mode too, the gearbox automatically changes down to access maximum performance when needed. It can downshift one or two ratios to release the engine’s full power – a useful facility, for instance, when emerging from a slip road.

The drive mode also comes with a ‘crawl’ function and just like the ‘creep’ functionality on the GenX Nano, as soon as you lift your foot from the brake, the vehicle automatically moves slowly forwards or backwards without any pressure being applied to the throttle.

This facilitates low-speed manoeuvres (such as parallel parking) and – in conjunction with Hill Start Assist – helps to keep the car stable on gentle inclines. It is also a useful asset when proceeding slowly in traffic jams.

Renault claims that the automated manual gearbox provides identical fuel economy and CO2 emissions figures to its manual counterpart. As the actuators are required only during gear changes, the Easy-R suffers far fewer energy losses than a conventional automatic transmission, and the automaker believes that the new technology is a much better alternative to automatic and manual   gearboxes alike.

Even as there is no announcement on whether the new Duster will make it to the Indian market anytime soon, it would not be a surprise if Renault brings it sooner than later. With the facelifted version of the SUV still pending, sales of the ageing Duster have fallen sharply over the last few months and a new version kitted with an AMT could act as the much needed catalyst for a revival in sales. Smaller cars like Maruti’s Celerio and Tata’s Nano have already benefitted from this strategy and now with the launch of the Mahindra TUV300 with an AMT gearbox as well, more manufacturers are looking to tap the evolving market for such vehicles in India. 

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