AvtoVAZ is preparing a new version of the Lada Granta with an automatic transmission, but to install the new gearbox, engineers had to change the car's design. According to the company, production of this version of the model is planned to begin in 2027 after the modernization of production lines.
Preparation for the release of the Granta with an automatic transmission will be part of the work to develop the Lada model range. Changes will be carried out during the company's corporate vacation from July 27 to August 16.
The main difficulty was under the hood: the new transmission initially did not fit into the car's engine compartment. Therefore, specialists had to refine both individual body elements and the gearbox housing itself.
Earlier, the head of AvtoVAZ noted that the installation of the new gearbox required changes in the body structure and adjustment of production lines. That is why preparation for production takes additional time.
The new version will only receive an eight-valve engine with 90 horsepower. According to company representatives, such an engine has low torque, so the variator will operate in a more gentle mode.
AvtoVAZ believes that this will positively affect the transmission's lifespan – its service life should be close to that of the engine itself.
At the same time, at the beginning of the year, the company did not plan to install an automatic transmission on the Granta. At that time, AvtoVAZ noted that the recently released Lada Iskra was supposed to fulfill the role of an affordable car with an automatic transmission.