Most online portals believe in covering news. But we at TFIPOST go a step further. We make predictions, predictions that often turn out to be prophetic. Take the case of the Ambassador. We had predicted that releasing the car in a new avatar could turn out to be a grand success. And it seems that our opinion has been corroborated.
What is your childhood memory of cars? I am sure it would involve an Ambassador, a car that remained more of a status symbol right from the 1960s till the late 1990s.
Now, it could come back in a new version called ‘Amby’. This will ensure that you are able to enjoy the vintage feel of the good old Ambassador car in highly refurbished dynamics.
Read more: If Yezdi can appeal to the millennials, Ambassador should make a comeback as well
Amby is coming, Hindustan Motors confirms development
After days of speculations, Hindustan Motor Financial Corporation of India (HMFCI), an associate company of the CK Birla Group, has confirmed that the Ambassador car will come out with a new design.
Reuters has reported that the new Ambassador car will be manufactured at the Hindustan Motors’ Chennai facility. Hindustan Motors and Peugot are working on the design and engine of ‘Amby’ which will be launched in 2024.
Uttam Bose, Director of Hindustan Motors, too has confirmed that work is underway to roll out the ‘new look’ Amby. Further, he added, “Mechanical and design work for the new engine has reached an advanced stage.”
Reinventing the iconic car
Ambassador isn’t just a vehicle. It is a topsy-turvy story in itself. Ambassador car started off as one of the first proper “Made in India” cars. And it was an instant hit amongst the masses.
Ambassador offered everything that you needed on Indian roads. It was a car that was supremely efficient, could withstand even the worst of potholes, and its spacious seating allowed one to explore the world while sitting.
For around four decades starting in 1958, Ambassador car literally had no major competitor in the market. In the luxury, chauffeur-driven segment, Ambassador was next to none. Politicians wanted it as a status symbol and celebrities too preferred to travel in this popular automobile.
The decline
At its roots, the Ambassador may have been a great car. But you simply cannot keep selling the design of 1958 in 2000. Ambassador did undergo minor variations.
The MK2 (1962-1975) got an updated wooden dashboard with new dials but the basic layout of the interior and the amount of space it offered stayed nearly identical. The MK3 and MK4 versions did minor tweaks as well.
However, it was Ambassador Nova launched in 1990 that is known as the modern Ambassador. To cut the costs, the car’s iconic metal grille was replaced by a more basic version and the metal over riders on the bumper were replaced by rubberized ones.
However, when the likes of luxury sedans and SUVs like Tata Safari, Mahindra Scorpio, Honda Accord and Honda Civic made an entry into the Indian market, customers suddenly lost their interest in Ambassador. For some time, Ambassador car remained a symbol of political and bureaucratic power but gradually even that sentiment faded away.
The last Ambassador car was manufactured at the Uttarpara plant in September 2014. Due to lower demand and unprofitable venture, Hindustan Motors decided to halt manufacturing of the iconic car.
The revival
In 2017, French carmaker Peugeot acquired the rights of the Ambassador brand for a sum of ₹ 80 crores. The carmaker is now planning to launch a new avatar of the Ambassador and it will be manufactured at the Hindustan Motor’s Chennai manufacturing facility where Mitsubishi cars were manufactured.
And let us just say that it is a great marketing strategy. Indians still have a strong emotional bond with the Ambassador car and if a new-gen Ambassador can be launched as an Electric Vehicle (EV) in line with the latest trend, then it would be immensely popular amongst the millennials and other customers.
The Ambassador car is coming back in an all-new version and this is something that should get all automobile enthusiasts excited.