Ambassador comes back for 2011

Troubled Indian car maker Hindustan Motors has decided to give its iconic car Ambassador a complete makeover. The car, which has been in production for decades and with its acres of legroom and ample interior space, was once the preferred choice of the politicians until the big car companies entered the Indian Automotive sector. Since then the sales of the car has been declining and the company is struggling hard to sell the car. Things are set to change and with an all new model coming, the company is expecting the car to be its bread-earner in 3-5 years.

“The new Amby will have a retro design and sport cutting-edge engineering to compete on comfort and value for money. Overseas experts have been roped in for the metamorphosis. The new version will be ready by January-February 2011 for test trials and is expected to undergo validation by May so that commercial production can begin next July,” chairman C K Birla told.

MD Manoj Jha said the new car will look very different from the current Ambassador. “The new car will be a sibling of the Ambassador but the change will be so holistic that it will be a completely different vehicle. Apart from the new-look retro exterior, the interiors will be revamped. It will be powered by BS IV-complaint and BS V-ready 1.5 litre and 2 litre di-esel as well as petrol engines that are powerful and fuel-efficient. Overseas technology firms are working on each aspect of the car to ensure the vehicle is on a par with cont-emporary vehicles on Indian roads in terms of built quality and reliability,” he said.