Tata Aria engine and transmission
The Aria is powered by the 2.2 DICOR VTT engine which powers the current Safari as well, albeit with a whole array of improvements and changes made. The engine has a variable turbine twin mass flywheel for smoother, vibration free operation. The dual mass flywheel keeps the torsional vibrations away from the powertrain, thereby eliminating body boom and annoying driveline rattles, especially at the bottom of the rev range. The incorporation of a dual mass flywheel also improves the fuel efficiency of the engine. Power and torque output is the same as the Safari DICOR’s 140PS@4000rpm and 320 Nm@1700- 2700 respectively.
Even with the same power and torque output, the Aria’s is a different engine and the difference is clearly perceptible, right from the word go! The new 2.2 DICOR engine feels smooth in operation, creates much less noise and delivers power and torque in a smooth manner. You can feel the turbo begin spooling up and transmit torque to the wheels from as low as 1600rpm, while by 2000rpm you could feel a strong surge of torque and power propelling you ahead with great reassurance. According to our rather hurried test, the Aria does its 0-100 km/h sprint in 16.2s, and its 0-60km/h run in 6.9s. We are sure that the top speed of 160+ km/h or thereabouts shouldn’t be a problem in this machine at all.
Unfortunately we had the vehicle with us only for three hours. A rigorous shoot schedule meant that were able to drive the vehicle only during the morning, when there was hardly any traffic. We didn’t have any problems in general with the mid-and top end performance of the 2.2 DICOR VTT, and found it perfectly driveable, although some of our other journo friends reported slight discomfort to manage the engine in stop-start city traffic. We would need to have the car with us for a longer period to validate that. The engine also made us shift back into a lower gear a couple of times when we tried to rely on the torque to scale some inclines like flyovers in high gear below the 2000rpm mark.
Along with the new engine, the five-speed synchromesh transmission system on the Aria too is new and is referred to as ‘Mark II’ version by the engineers at Tata Motors. The new gearbox is equipped with new housings to enable improvement in the NVH refinement characteristics. Tata Motors have made efforts to improve the shift feel and comfort by introducing new Steel Synchrocones with Carbon Lining. The gear selection and shifting mechanism too is new to improve the feel.
Again, the changes made to the gearbox are very perceptible. The Aria’s gearshift doesn’t feel rubbery or notchy as the case was with some of the other SUVs from the Tata stable. It’s still not as effortless and delightful as say, the CR-Vs silky feel but slick enough to classify as a smooth shifter. It really leaves nothing to complain about. You never miss the slots or get stuck halfway even if you shift without depressing the clutch completely. The position and the throw of the shifter stick too feels just right for the big crossover. You can feel the driveline vibes on the gearstick if you tend to keep your hand over the shifter stick while driving, but that’s a really minor issue.
All in all, we came out impressed with the qualities of both the 2.2 DICOR VTT engine and the Mark II transmission. Except for at the very bottom end (1100-1600rpm) of the rev range, where we felt a slight lack of spunk, the engine behaved like a complete gem, and was complimented equally well by its five-speed gearbox.
Following are the salient points of the new 2.2 DICOR VTT engine of the Aria
a. Advanced CAN based interactive engine delivering features like Cruise Control and online information display of instantaneous and average fuel efficiency, range etc.
b. Intelligent self adjusting timing drive mechanism to provide robustness, reliability & efficiency.
c. Cast Aluminum ladder frame and oil sump to improve rigidity / stiffness for better NVH performance and refinement.
d. New compact oil filter for better space management and ease of maintenance.
e. Anti-permeable rubber hoses to ensure drip dry rubber hoses in engine compartment.
f. Compact, Nocolock brazed intercooler with smooth fin geometry, delivering enhanced performance in a tighter package.
g. Calibration optimization done for each gear at various speeds for seamless drive transfer and driving pleasure.
h. Ability of the Engine ECU to communicate with immobilizer ECU providing greater degree of safety against theft
i. Calibration strategies to safeguard engine against abusive operation without hampering drivability.
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