End of HM Ambassador

[pmaitra]

End of HM Ambassador

Finally, the British classic, the Morris Oxford Series III, which was still being manufactured as the Hindustan Motors Ambassador, has been stopped, and its plant shut down. This brings to an end the 60 years of continuous production of this model.

Morris Oxford Series III

HM Ambassador Grand

HM issues suspension of work notice at Uttarpara plant

All the employees of the Uttarpara plant would not be paid salary during the suspension of work period

The management of troubled Hindustan Motors (HM) today declared suspension of work at the company's Uttarpara plant in the state.

Sources in the company told PTI that the suspension notice was pasted on factory gates last night.

The Uttarpara plant had been facing severe cash crunch, and orders for manufacturing Ambassador passenger cars could not be executed, they added.

"The suspension of work will stop bleeding of the company. Things will improve once a strategic investor comes in with funds," the sources said.

The Uttarpara plant, which employs close to 2,500 workers and managerial staff, had been bifurcated from the Chennai facility which was brought under Hindustan Motors Finance Corporation Ltd.

All the employees of the Uttarpara plant would not be paid salary during the suspension of work period, the sources added.

Here is an excellent 3D Model of the HM Ambassador Classic:
Hindustan Ambassador Classic 1999 by 3D model store Humster3D.com - YouTube

And a nostalgic enthusiast's review of the Ambassador Grand:
Ambassador di Geri....!! - YouTube

 

[pmaitra]

"The company has been transparent in sharing updates about the worsening conditions at its Uttarpara plant, which include very low productivity, growing indiscipline, critical shortage of funds, lack of demand for its core product, the Ambassador, and large accumulation of liabilities. Given the present circumstances, it has no alternative but to declare suspension of work at the plant, till further notice," the company filing said.

Suspension of work would help the company cut mounting liabilities, restructure its finances and arrive at a situation conducive to reopening the plant, the statement added.

The plant employs about 2,500 workers. It is unclear whether these workers will be paid remunerations for the period during which the work will be suspended. According to reports, the workers haven't been paid for the past six months.

The suspension of work adds to the gloomy state of affairs in this regard in the state. About a fortnight ago, engineering firm Jessop & Co, controlled by the Ruia group, had announced suspension of work at its facility in Dum Dum, on the outskirts of this city.

The Jessop management said this was due to "continuous malicious intervention of outsiders in the functioning of the plant, resulting in overall disruption of the management's plan to revamp operations of the company". The plant, which was hardly operational through the past year, employed 685 workers. Earlier, the management had issued transfer notices to a few workers, which triggered protests.

Source: HM halts work in West Bengal | Business Standard

 

[thakur_ritesh]

I would have liked to see a more modern version of the car over the years, but HM with a little changes here and there, and getting orders from the government, didn't think beyond. For us Indians, innovation, and investing in R&D is not our forte, nor do we think of exploring it.

Anyway, DC did try his hand at redesigning, and had HM put in more effort, they would have come up with something truly up market with the old world charm. I believe the potential is still there, and the brand should be sold to someone who has the money or has investors ready to invest.

DC design:

 

[thakur_ritesh]

Is this also a modification on the same platform?

 

[Twinblade]

Please sell the rights to a half decent company,
Please sell the rights to a half decent company,
Please sell the rights to a half decent company,
Please sell the rights to a half decent company,
Please sell the rights to a half decent company,
Please sell the rights to a half decent company,
Please sell the rights to a half decent company,
Please sell the rights to a half decent company,
Please sell the rights to a half decent company,
Please sell the rights to a half decent company,

DC's amby is an abomination. The last generation of Amby was pretty good looking. I'd love to buy a new age Amby, in turquoise, aquamarine, or light blue with chrome all over it if it came with a decent engine, ABS and safety features.

 

[pmaitra]

@thakur_ritesh,

Thank you for posting those nice pictures. Yes, Dilip Chhabria has done some innovative work on the Ambassador.

Looks is a personal choice. Personally, I would buy a car that looked exactly the same as the Morris Oxford. As a matter of fact, I would buy its longer nosed cousin, the Morris Isis, with an inline 6 cylinder engine.

Enfield did an excellent job. They kept the original design intact, and introduced modern engines, and are selling them outside of India, because, Indian market is not mature enough to appreciate these classics.

I am saying this, because, Ambassador's demise began with the introduction of Maruti 800. Maruti 800 won purely on the basis of price. Other than that, whether be it power and number of cylinders (4 cyl vs 3 cyl), drive (2 rear vs 1 front), interior trim (leather vs plastic), interior space, boot space, external trims (chrome vs fibre), the Ambassador was better in all aspects. Over the years, to remain competitive, Ambassador had to shed much of its niceties, and was reduced to a metal box.

HM did invest in brand new dies, which were imported from Canada, and all new models look sharp, because of those dies. A new model, Avigo, did not inspire much enthusiasm, and was withdrawn. This model needs to be preserved, but it has to be resurrected by keeping the Birlas, and their 2,500 Uttarpara employees out of it. Both the Birlas, and the employees, are to blame, for this. Moreover, there was a good environment under Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, but the Jyoti Basu era political nonsense has returned with Mamata. Under such circumstances, who will invest?

Just like Enfield was bought out by Escorts, someone with vision needs to buy it out, fire all its current management and employees, and bring in new generation engineers, invest in maximum automation, introduce nice trims, satisfy western emission and safety requirements, keep the exterior looks exactly as it was in 1954 (sorry, I disagree with many Indians who think the model should be "modernized"), and target the western market. If this means hiking the price up to 8 or 10 lakhs, so be it. This is a classic, and should not be a car for the masses. Of course, modified versions, like those by Dilip Chhabria, should also be introduced, but the base model, in its original looks, must be preserved (both as short nosed, as sold in India, and long nosed with a bigger engine).

Anyway, here are a few pictures of the Morris Isis, Ambassador's long nosed cousin:

Morris Isis, Ambassador's long nosed cousin

Morris Isis, Ambassador's long nosed cousin

Morris Isis, Ambassador's long nosed cousin

Morris Isis, Ambassador's long nosed cousin

Morris Isis, Ambassador's long nosed cousin

Morris Isis, Ambassador's long nosed cousin

Morris Isis, Ambassador's long nosed cousin

Morris Isis, Ambassador's long nosed cousin

Click here to get a perspective.

 

[laughingbuddha]

They should try bringing back a retro look model. Chrome grill, original steering wheel with chrome horn ring and centre indicator handle, swivel quarter glass, steering colum gear shift etc.

Of course this all depends on market
feaseability, I for one would buy.

 

[tarunraju]

My grandfather had a 1959 Ambassador with red leather seats, a hand stick shift, and a petrol motor. I rode around it when I was little. We were out of spares, and needed to manually charge its battery and top up its radiator, after each drive. After his death, we sold it. AP MV online database shows that it's still in my grandmother's name.

https://aptransport.in/CFSTONLINE/Reports/VehicleRegistrationSearch.aspx

Search for APY5089

 

[tarunraju]

Also I think Amby will never be revived. Government babus have moved on to Maruti SX4 or Tata Manza; while cabbies have moved on to more economical Dacia Logan.

 

[Illusive]

Is this also a modification on the same platform?

No, its Rolls Royce.


Amby has to be the most iconic car of India, a sad day for India's automobile industry.

 

[Ray]

I got my licence driving my Uncle's Ambassador in Dehra Dun and my test was to drive the RTO to the Railway Station so that he could catch the train.

The RTO was an uncle of a GC of my Company at IMA.

I thus have a fondness for the car as it was a part of a momentous event of my life - getting my driving licence.

 

[pmaitra]

I got my licence driving my Uncle's Ambassador in Dehra Dun and my test was to drive the RTO to the Railway Station so that he could catch the train.

The RTO was an uncle of a GC of my Company at IMA.

I thus have a fondness for the car as it was a part of a momentous event of my life - getting my driving licence.

I learnt driving in a 2 litre petrol Ambassador, and gave my license test in that.

It is a great car. My uncle had one. It had leather seats and leather trim, and lots of chrome. Over the period of time, the market demanded cheaper cars, and Ambassador had to ditch all the extra chrome and leather, and introduce cheap plastic interiors. I guess that is why it survived till now. Had it maintained the same standards as in the 60s, it would have been gone long before.

 

[tarunraju]

I learnt driving in a 2 litre petrol Ambassador

Our car had the same engine. I remember it sounded like a muscle-car when revved. High-ranking army and air-force officers still ride petrol Ambies here in Hyderabad. I spot them each time I drive through Secunderabad cantt.

The Army will be the last user to ditch Amby, because they won't acquire a standard vehicle until EME can disassemble and reassemble every single component. They don't trust electronic fuel-injection systems (suspecting killswitches or trackers).

 

[laughingbuddha]

My Dad had a Mark-II light yellow with a black vinyl pasted top. He drove a Holden and we learnt to drive on the amby and jeep.

 

[pmaitra]

@Ray Sir, @tarunraju, @thakur_ritesh, @Twinblade, @laughingbuddha, @Illusive

I called my dad a few minutes ago and offered to buy him the highest end Ambassador Grand. He declined. He said he will not be able to drive such a big car, and he has no space for a second car. He already owns a Tata Indigo.

So, that is the thing. Its time has gone. Even if offered for free, people won't want it.

 

[shankyz]

Amby is a sturdy car , we once went to a wedding and I counted 14 ppl ( including children ) inside the car !
Talking of sturdy, it won the Battle of Taxis in BBC's 'Top Gear' show...

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Kunal Biswas]

HM should have made modifications, Its ICON for Indian Automobiles ..

I will miss those rides, As we have Indigos now ..

 

[Ray]

@Ray Sir, @tarunraju, @thakur_ritesh, @Twinblade, @laughingbuddha, @Illusive

I called my dad a few minutes ago and offered to buy him the highest end Ambassador Grand. He declined. He said he will not be able to drive such a big car, and he has no space for a second car. He already owns a Tata Indigo.

So, that is the thing. Its time has gone. Even if offered for free, people won't want it.

Why don't you transfer that kind offer to me?

I won't decline.

 

[pmaitra]

Why don't you transfer that kind offer to me?

I won't decline.

I am not so generous Sir. I want to own one of my own.

 

[Ray]

I am not so generous Sir. I want to own one of my own.

Penny pinching.

The US has really ruined your Indian large heart.