Hindustan Motors suspends production of iconic Ambassador car

[Manindra]

The maker of India's Ambassador car has suspended production, citing debt and lack of demand for the iconic vehicle which came to define the country's political class, a company official said.
NEW DELHI: The maker of India's Ambassador car has suspended production, citing debt and lack of demand for the iconic vehicle which came to define the country's political class, a company official said Sunday.

Hindustan Motors, India's oldest car maker, shut down its factory on Saturday at Uttarpara in West Bengal state, where it has been making the Ambassador - based on Britain's long-defunct Morris OxfordBSE 4.73 % - since 1957.

"Work has been suspended indefinitely at the Uttarpara factory. It is being done to ensure the company doesn't bleed more (money) and to enable us to draw plans for its revival," the senior official told AFP.

The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange in a letter on Saturday, citing "very low productivity, growing indiscipline, critical shortage of funds, lack of demand for its core product ... and large accumulation of liabilities".

The curve-shaped Ambassador, whose design has changed little in nearly 60 years, once ruled India's roads and for years was the only car driven by politicians and senior government officials, particularly in New Delhi.

The car's "power status" allowed Islamist militants to drive an Ambassador past security and stage a deadly attack on the parliament building in 2001, bringing nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan to the brink of war.

But the Ambassador, easily the most recognisable car on India's roads, has been muscled out over the years by the entry of more modern vehicles, particularly SUVs increasingly favoured by senior bureaucrats.

The car still remains popular with taxi drivers, some politicians and tourists looking for a bit of nostalgia on India trips.

The country's once-booming car market has suffered a slump in recent years, with the economy growing at under five percent deterring new customers.

The Hindustan MotorsBSE -10.00 % official said Ambassador sales have long been falling, with the factory recently churning out just five cars a day.

Sales have dropped from 24,000 cars a year in the 1980s to less than 6,000 in the 2000s, according to the Times of India on Sunday, which predicted the end of the road for the "grand old lady" or "Amby".

"Had HM (Hindustan Motors) continued to evolve the Amby over the past 60 years without changing the DNA, it would have been the Rolls Royce of India," the paper quoted India's leading auto designer Dilip Chhabria as saying.


Hindustan Motors suspends production of iconic Ambassador car - The Economic Times

 

[Koovie]

Well.... they have been an iconic sight on many Indian roads... but their time has ended years ago.

Farewell^^

 

[shuntmaster]

Good riddance..

 

[Aslan]

So they only shut down the ambassador, or their mini truck unit as well. A pity, they didnt evolve with them market changes, but hats off to the work they did, and how their car came to represent india in more then one ways.

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

They brought the car revolution in India along with Maruthi. Thanks Ambassador.

 

[IND151]

Enid of an era!!

BTW Dilip Chabbria launched a luxury car years ago,The Ambierod design took its inspiration from the design of the oldest Ambassador.

Hope they launch something like it.

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[T90TankGuy]

I loved our amby, still remember those days

 

[halupridol]

farewell

 

[IND151]

Enid of an era!!

BTW Dilip Chabbria launched a luxury car years ago,The Ambierod design took its inspiration from the design of the oldest Ambassador.

Hope they launch something like it.

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I forgot to tell that Amberoid cost above 4 crore.

So if HM builds something similar, it will similar most in looks, as they have to keep the price low as much as possible.

 

[khujliwal]

Goodbye amby, the beetle of India.

 

[third eye]

Here is an example of a product that once commanded the market and is now perishing because it did not change with time and customer expectations.

This machine had everything most car manufacturers would give their right hand for - a well located production facility, established dealer network, established down stream vendors , acceptance with the customers, established brand loyalty and so much more.

The inability to evolve is to be blamed on the management of HM.

 

[jaunty]

They failed to rebrand the car. A similar successful example is Royal Enfield. Both have similar old British design but RE managed to maintain a certain market through new models and the old ones with newer technology. HM couldn't do that with Amby.

 

[takeiteasy]

It was imminent. still, I love those Landmaster's and 70's Amby's with steering column gear shift and "rainbow square" gear indicators!. Readers digest advertisements from the '70s, showed whole Amby shells made somewhere in Belgaon(IIRC) for resurrecting dilapidated Amby's - such was the demand that older cars were reborn! Imagine cars and motorcycles simply won't die during those times with primitive 50's tech(License Raj years). closer, even in the 80's crazy people will go to Bengal and drive down to Kerala new Amby's as Cars are not readily available. oil changes and free services are done during the almost 3000kms "delivery run" itself!
Even with Maruti's and Standard 2000's and Fiat's, Ambassador was the most popular. going to Coimbatore for "dieselizing Amby's" with Jaya or Matador are so popular as well as "Koya's upholstery" and such accessories! still it was a sorry car unreliable although very comfortable. "great memories" include steering got locked in a Ambassador car at 70kmph! as well as customary "overheating and stranding" at ghat roads. (sorry for the rant!)