Abstract: An automotive transmission having a low inertia drive train has an input shaft connected directly to the vehicle engine's crankshaft. A countershaft drive gear is journaled on the input shaft and a first clutch is operable to engage the countershaft drive gear and the input shaft. A countershaft carries a driven gear, a low ratio gear, and a reverse drive gear. An output shaft carries a low ratio driven gear and a reverse driven gear. A reverse idler gear meshes with the reverse drive and driven gears. A starter is coupled to the reverse idler gear through a speed reduction drive train and a one-way clutch. Sliders are operable to couple the input shaft to the output shaft, the low ratio driven gear to the output shaft and the reverse driven gear to the output shaft.