Kamal Ghorui
Volkswagen India has silently discontinued the manual transmission option from the 1.5-litre engine variants of the Virtus sedan and Taigun SUV. Earlier, buyers could choose between a manual gearbox and a 7-speed DSG automatic with the larger 1.5 TSI engine. With the manual option now dropped, the automatic transmission is the only choice available. Now buyers who prefer a manual transmission will need to choose the smaller 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine, as it remains the only variant in the line-up to offer a manual gearbox. This smaller engine also has an option of a 6-speed torque converter automatic.The 1.5-litre turbo-petrol puts out 150 hp and 250 nm of torque. The smaller 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder puts out 117 hp and 178 nm torque. The 1.5 TSI paired with a manual gearbox had been part of the Taigun range from the very beginning, while the same combination was introduced for the Virtus sometime in 2023. In September 2024, Skoda similarly phased out the manual transmission option for the 1.5-litre engine variants of the Slavia and Kushaq.
As mentioned before, VW has discontinued the MT gearbox options silently and has not issued an official explanation for this decision, but we think this move is widely to simplify the variant range and reflecting shifting customer demand, with automatic gearboxes becoming increasingly popular in higher-powered petrol models. Enthusiastic customers who still prefer a manual gearbox with the 1.5-litre TSI still have a chance for a limited time. If they’re lucky, they may still find limited stock at select dealerships.
