The car that refused to die - The Hindustan Ambassador Story

If you’ve been to India, you’ll notice thousands of Maruti Suzuki’s zipping hither and thither, Ubering people across town in air-conditioned comfort for less than the price of a mango lassi. But look outside and you’ll notice the occasional 1950s Morris Oxford and wonder, how did that get here? The Hindustan Ambassador, as the Morris Oxford is known there, is a story of Indian four-wheeled mobility in the 20th century, a car that was still being manufactured 14 years into the 21st century! Just why it last so long when there were better cars available is a fascinating story, and it may not be over yet.
Thanks to Banpei for suggesting the Peugeot 206 advert. Check out his KZbin automotive channel here: / banpeinet-gp
Optional Extra video: • Hindustan Ambassador -...
If you'd like to support what I do, and get early access to advert-free videos and exclusive channel updates, please consider supporting the channel from just $1 or 80p a month: / bigcar
Support me using PayPal: www.paypal.com/paypalme/bigcartv
Big Car merch: teespring.com/stores/bigcartv
Twitter: / bigcartv
My second channel - Little Car: / littlecar
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindust...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Ten
www.livehistoryindia.com/stor...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrol...
www.driving.co.uk/news/drivin...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maruti_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maruti_800
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindust...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMC_B-s...
web.archive.org/web/2008022206...
www.independent.co.uk/life-st...
www.aronline.co.uk/cars/hindu...
www.hindmotor.com/GrandLaunche...
www.hindmotor.com/nicheproduct...
www.hindmotor.com/retroamby.asp#
www.driving.co.uk/news/drivin...
gomechanic.in/blog/hindustan-...
gomechanic.in/blog/barn-find-...
www.overdrive.in/news-cars-au...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_India
#bigcar

[@BigCar2]

Erratum: Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd designed the Pingle and were a completely different company to Hindustan Motors.

[@AristotelisMitsiou]

Also at 6:52 did you mean South Africa and Mauritius? Seems a bit odd to me that they'd export to a whole continent and an island nation that had little in common

[@RockandrollNegro]

Hi Andy, would you possibly entertain the idea of doing a video on the "Shoebox Fords," aka, the 1949-1951 Ford & Mercury US models? Apparently the Series II Morris Minor drew some design inspiration from this family so I think it would be a good bookend to this Ambassador video.

[@onepalproductions]

@@AristotelisMitsiou Indians form the majority of Mauritius' population.

[@mansurik1922]

The world's most beautiful and still running car is AMBASSADOR only !! Unlike today's ugly looking Alien faced Japanese/U.S. cars having space problems even for rear seat traveller's head knocking on roof that bent down unlike being straight TOP like CHEVERLOUTTE !! RECENT studies state that most cars involved in severe accidents are today's UGLY CARS !!

[@AristotelisMitsiou]

@@onepalproductions I'm aware of that, I meant that South America and Mauritius have little in common with each other, not with India

[@Namburiadityasairam2605]

A large part of the Ambassadors continuation in the 21st century was due to it's "brand association" with people in position of power. A white ambassador usually meant that it was a politician's, a black ambassador meant that it was people associated with the miliatry/defence and so on, so forth. Even late in its lifespan many of the older generations of power were utterly loyal to their Ambassadors, not in small part due to the extremely comfortable sofa like back seats - kind of parallel to how American boomers held on to their body on frame traditional American luxury like the old Cadillacs. You would have weird situations like how the President would travel in such a humble car while being escorted by expensive luxury cars like a Land Cruiser. Nowadays, the preferred vehicle for politicians is a white Toyota Fortuner or Innova depending on where they are in the hierarchy, while the top most love thier Toyota Land Cruisers. Obviously, reflecting how dynamic India's economy is now compared to bygone era, you see a healthy mix of the Big 3 Germans and JLR's products mixed in for the people in power, with our Prime Minister growing an appetite for Range Rovers while our Presidents car has been for a decade or longer now firmly an armoured S-klasse. Hope that this brief insight might be interesting to anyone :)

[@wraithcadmus]

The other aspect to look at is what's used abroad, I often walk past the High Commission in London, and it's all Jag XFs. I guess it's a good fusion of Indian and British to play to both audiences.

[@MrSmith1984]

Makes sense for the Indian Government to use JLR Cars...for reasons that are pretty obvious.

[@philhealey449]

The hotel Ambassador I ventured in around 15 years ago in Bangalore was as raucous and shuddering as the equivalent decaying family Morris Oxford minus the rust hole in the floor I recalled from childhood, but still alluring. I did investigate exporting an Isuzu Diesel powered Ambassador as a possible masochistic move, but gruesome updating of front end grilles and dashboards compared to Morris origins killed that idea.

[@dolmedhi3678]

Link??

[@lancergt1000]

Politicians drive Fortuners & Innovas in India??? Aren't those mid size MPV/SUVs

[@brometheus2905]

This was the first car i sat in as a kid..... Can never forget the sound the starter motor made, and the seating ...aaah nostalgia

[@SubhamBoro]

Same comment ❤️

[@probablygraham]

Our uncle sold his Morris Oxford to our Dad and us 6 kids went everywhere in it. Dad even drove us from the south of England to the north of Scotland in it and we shared one big, leaky tent 😀 Wonderful memories.

[@KuntalGhosh]

That's the only sound to remember cus the engine barely ran after 2 3 cranks.

[@keshri6900]

@@probablygraham memories brings back memories 😢

[@sriharshacv7760]

@@probablygraham Kind of funny because almost certainly, the Indian people who made these comments were around 40 years old and the British people who responded are relatively older :) Kind of shows how India lags behind by a generation.

[@sanjaybhatikar]

It is like the Soviet’s Lada. Modern day cars with microprocessors and plastic parts make me want the old cars where you could pop open the hood and fix any problem with a spanner.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

And Lada (at least in the Niva) provided the spanners, tyre pressure guage and tyre pump in a toolpack with the vehicle.....

[@le_ecrivaine]

Can you fix extremely low mileage with a spanner?? 🤔😜

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

@@le_ecrivaine That used to be called "a tune up".....

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

wouldn't that be the Padmini

[@thedolphin5428]

Abso-fucking-lutely.

[@rufus_mcdufus]

I love the 2003 Ambassador Grand brochure - "Headlamp with clear glass". Luxury!

[@tomaszproblem2684]

That's true r/engrish.

[@robertsmelt6638]

It sure beats cloudy plastic though.

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

Today all headlamps are plastic.

[@Dowlphin]

Indeed. The fate of the world doesn't stand or fall with it. Well, it might with clear glass, as an agent of technocracy and its scarcity mentality.

[@itsMe_TheHerpes]

@@Dowlphin don't i know you from he RT comment section ?

[@rkoforever90]

My grandfather had a 1982 model. He told me that the quality fresh from the factory was so bad that it was customary to take it to a workshop to fix poor welding and other manufacturing defects. However, Ambassador probably had the best backseat for a car that is below the S-class segment.

[@IdeaBoxful]

My grandpa had an orginal Mark II which was worked on every year to keep it going. He owned it for 22 years and was passed on as a family heirloom. When my uncle sold it in early 2000's we were all crestfallen. My memories lie around the sofa like seats in the back. Felt like you were sitting in cushion of comfort while the car bumped around on our bad tarmac.

[@itsourlife]

Backseat? The front seat was a single loooong seat without division I absolutely loved it.

[@neoanderson4840]

🤪 this stupid fact is really factual I thought the same about those rear seats ...intact it was if your sofa were strapped on to a diesel engine 🤗

[@nilval445]

In Kerala, it was almost mandatory 😂. Brand new Amby... straight to welding to fix the braces. In fact, my neighbor used to buy Ambassador cars brand new from Pondicherry, drive all the way to Central Kerala, weld all the braces, put bucket seats paint and resell (as new). I remember him doing that business for many many years.

[@conebeam1]

That kind of quality control is still pervasive in Indian mentality “thik hain, kafi hain, chalta hain” attitude. There are short cuts even in export quality items. About the back seat, we never had anything to compare other than Willy’s jeep or cramped Fiat. In my home town of Shillong, it was Ambassador, jeeps and army auctioned Jonga. Ambassador cars were true luxury compared to the other ‘cement mixture’ passenger vehicles on the roads.

[@monkeybarmonkeyman]

Having lived in India for two years, I can say a big plus of the Ambassador was the perceived protection that hulking body gave you as a passenger. Indian traffic is quite the thrill, to say the least. The other big plus for everyone was no matter where you went in India, you could find someone who knew how to work on and repair the car. Not so with the newer cars. I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed every ride in an Ambassador.

[@IdeaBoxful]

Add to the fact that you could repair it with just a basic spanner kit and a hammer..

[@shankarbalan3813]

Most of those who were born in India between 1950 and 2010 have had some association or other with the iconic Ambassador. They were really very comfortable workhorses and ferried generations of Indian around in relative comfort. They only ended production in 2014. My Dads Ambassador was with our family for 27 years and we finally let it go…it was an emotional thing because that car had been with us through the years and all of us grow up with it….

[@jaig]

I think those born in the 1950s should be called the Ambassador Gen.

[@timmazumdar7167]

At least you will get a car with seatbelts for Children. Children should not be allowed to ride ANY car without seatbelts for child booster seats . Its too dangerous.

[@prakaashj5485]

If I were in ur place, I would have never let the car go.

[@shankarbalan3813]

@@prakaashj5485 would have loved to but couldn’t afford that luxury at the time

[@satyaprakash03133]

@@jaig yeah like my grandfather the boomer gen.

[@nightdriver7216]

I've always thought this car's more recent versions looked funny. They tried to modernize the Ambassador's design and created a weird mix of old and new.

[@BigCar2]

It didn't really work, did it?

[@farfthi]

I find the modernized models weirdly appealing. But I like roundish autos like those from DKW.

[@datathunderstorm]

I would have personally found a Hindustan Ambassador with the older body design but a Japanese engine, running gear and electronics (with Airconditioning and a modern dashboard) very appealing indeed. Extra points if they produced an automatic version!

[@saurabhponkshe]

@@farfthi yes

[@nightdriver7216]

@@BigCar2 It triggers my OCD. 😂

[@mishalmx]

The Hindustan Ambassador is basically the Ford Cortina of India; Everyone's Dads had it sometime in their lives, and my dad too, had one.

[@sriramn217]

my dads first car, just the time when i was born, he was one proud dad, i still have the car up and running. rest in peace dad

[@daweigo6851]

So cool you still have it, your dad would be happy

[@chrisgraham5186]

It's interesting to compare the Ambassador's story with that of Royal Enfield's 'Bullet' motorcycle. Even though Eicher motors have dragged RE into the 21st century regarding tech, and production methods, they're also selling on the nostalgia 'retro' ticket. The old push rod Bullet may be gone forever, but they've had to bring out an almost visually identical bike, but with their own modern engine and new chassis, as the 'Classic 350', both to satisfy the home (Indian) market, and to seduce the nostalgic west who have already been captivated by the excellent (and award winning in the west as well as in India) 650cc twins introduced in 2018.

[@dynamitebsb4520]

I have classic 350, so much comfortable

[@subhamde8412]

I'm from West Bengal, the state where the Ambassador was initially made...the place where the car was made was known as Uttarpara and the factory is just in a bad state rn...with grass and tree growing over all the track...and Kolkata is famous for its Yellow and Blue coloured Taxis..mostly Ambassadors.... It's a shame they didn't upgrade it to current standards🥲

[@BigCar2]

Thanks for the information. Shame it's in such disrepair.

[@subhamde8412]

@@BigCar2 as per current reports...Citroen is taking interest in bringing the car back and the production most likely will begin in Chennai rather than in Kolkata due to politics

[@Namburiadityasairam2605]

@@subhamde8412 Citreon has started production already, they are CKD assembling the C5 and selling it in limited numbers. I've already seen a few of them running around in Hyderabad. They launched it in 2021, and they have chosen Chennai as thier base. Sadly, West Bengal and Kolkata's future and reputation have taken a hit in the past few years :(

[@subhamde8412]

@@Namburiadityasairam2605 West Bengal after the whole Tata and Singur Debacle...and beautiful politics of our Honourable Chief Minister...has plagued the future of automotive and industrial development as such....when the political party is interested in taking cuts of developing and infrastructural money.... no way any CEO or the owner of a company would consider it for as a base of operations or production

[@Namburiadityasairam2605]

@@subhamde8412 Yes, West Bengal and Kolkata used to be the most industrialised and developed part of our country, even more so than Mumbai, the South or Gujarat. Shame what's happened but we know the decline has been by all governments that have taken over since Independence in Bengal. The 2011 crisis was only the last nail on the coffin I believe.

[@stevenmacdonald9619]

When in Bengalaru in 2000, it wasn't just the Hindustan Ambassador still existing that was most impressive to me. As you show in so many of your pictures, they were always kept in such amazing condition, despite most vehicles on India's roads looking like that Peugeot from the advert. I asked a driver the story, and firstly he explained the hierarchy of drivers. Young taxi drivers have Tuk Tuks, and they would aspire to an Ambassador in their career's future. This would have explained the care and attention given to these iconic cars already, but after a pause, he suddenly became very honest, sensing my questioning was coming from a genuine place. He said that Tuk Tuks are standard taxis, and the Ambassador a luxury taxi, and they must maintain that standard, plus once a driver of his level, they were held responsible for any damage, and would more than often be expected to pay for any replacement/damaged parts. He then told me that a Hindustan Ambassador Headlamp unit, would cost him an entire month of wages, and with that I saw the light. No wonder these cars had to be kept immaculate. India is truly a jewel unto herself, and a part of me never returned home. It's not the places, noise, sheer population or crazy nature of India's infrastructure that is so enticing. It is the people themselves. I've been treated well as a tourist in many places, and that is not what India does, because I would have sensed it. They just treat you well as a person, and their outlook on life, priorities, upbringing and morality is a truly beautiful thing to witness. As my Grandparents would still have said today about the United Kingdom in comparison, 'We don't know that we're born.' In India, they make the very most of that day, and every single one in their lives, around family, friends and the simple things in life, and I see a true happiness in that, rather than our endless quest in the west for material gain, and wealth. This too could have been a reason for the Hindustan Ambassador living as long as it did. Pure practicality, without the need for frills. India, I 🧡🤍💚 your country and your people. You stole my heart.

[@rudylira8993]

Yes! Well said.

[@daniel-ino]

morality???

[@stevenmacdonald9619]

@@daniel-ino When family and friends are the most important things in your life, then yes, that's a high sense of morality. Next to the pronoun game, single word questions, are without context, hard to respond to. Maybe a little more detail? Btw India has maintained a much higher morality, than the nation that brought 'class' and social function with empire. I only wish that England had kept her decorum.

[@daniel-ino]

@@stevenmacdonald9619 high sense of morality compared to what? Thats pretty exclusive. So everything outside of ones family is immoral?

[@stevenmacdonald9619]

@@daniel-ino There was a wise man who once said, there is nothing good in the world after midnight. Other than my wife, and my bed. Some people see material greed, gluttony, drunkenness, gambling, lying, cheating and arguing on the internet without a point, but simply questioning another person without cause, as immoral. Do you understand the concept of real innocence? The western world ended it's morality by killing the church, and then making dishonesty it's best friend for profits. Why would you even ask what I would be comparing to? Tibet? tut

[@wclifton968gameplaystutorials]

It should also be noted that India had a command economy between 1948 and 1991 and following the creation of the License Raj, any business changes had to be agreed upon with the government e.g. if you owned a chain of supermarkets, if you wanted to open a new store 3mi away, to do so you would need to go to the License Raj to have them approve the decision however they could veto your decision stating "not needed here, already a supermarket here" essentially meaning that there was no free market and business leaders could not make any decisions without government interference. In the 1980s, the Indian Government allowed foreign investment through joint ventures but only because of the collapsing economy, leading to the 1991 bankruptcy of the Indian Government which led to an IMF bailout forcing the Indian government to close down the License Raj and end the command economy which they did comply with which I think is the biggest reason as to why the Hindustan Ambassador saw little to no competition in India and stayed in production for so long...

[@helloworld.w6075]

Now India is World 3rd biggest economy by GDP PPP standards Thanks to LIBERALIZATION of 1991, After that India just never looked back

[@wclifton968gameplaystutorials]

@@helloworld.w6075 yes but only by GDP PPP, on a per-capita basis they still have a long way to go and there are still lots of improvements to be made in terms of liberalising the economy, for one India has not copied the economic model of Georgia between 2004-2008 which was 100% free market thus leading to 10% GDP growth...

[@helloworld.w6075]

@@wclifton968gameplaystutorials Georgia is a tiny nation , India is not , still The current government is doing everything to Make India more economically powerful and Self reliant to a Certain level , It is Focused on Self reliance and increasing Export potential in Manufacturing Electronics , Electrical, White goods and Automobiles etc etc Although as a foreigner you might not know it , But In last 8 years of current government A EXTREMELY big chunk of goods are Now being Made in India instead on depending on china and Worsening Relations with China has Only Boosted Government Focus on Total MANUFACTURING SELF SUFFICIENCY Which also gives millions of jobs thus increasing Per capita income ( Ex - Just 5-6 years ago 70-90% of Smartphones , Tvs , White goods , Electrical etc were from China But in Just last 6 Years 100% Of All of the MENTIONED products are now being MANUFACTURED IN INDIA as of 2022 Making India self sufficient in these mentioned products and segments And Indian manufacturing sector has maintained 40% growth rate ( highest in the world) since 2021 , Hopefully At this Rapid pace India can Become OFFICIAL alternative to china by early 2030s in manufacturing while also Rapidly increasing Per capita income and GDP

[@wclifton968gameplaystutorials]

@@helloworld.w6075 Yes Georgia is a small country however the point I was trying to make which I clearly didn't word well is that Georgia moved up the Ease of doing business Index ranking from some low number (#100 in 2006) to #7 in only a matter of ~20 years while India has had 30 years to get to as high or even higher a ranking while in comparison, India is currently ranked at #63 compared to their 2006 ranking of #116 but at least India (and Georgia) are heading in the right direction...

[@Blackadder75]

thanks for your comment, I never knew that India had such a central managed economy, a sort of economic communism, without the political side of communism , from the 1920s till 1980s

[@michaeltb1358]

I spent a lot of time in India in the 80s. I saw one Ambassador that had been in an accident. The front and rear were OK, but the passenger compartment had been crushed. It was common knowledge that later cars were very heavy as a lot of lead was used to fill the gaps in the bodywork as the tooling was worn out. It was considered better to rebuild an old car than buy a new one. The smooth plastic upholstery was terrible in the heat and humidity, and the diesel was something else.

[@julosx]

And I daren't imagine how hard the suspension was with its perennial live rear axle and blade springs, any ride would be a real punishment.

[@michaeltb1358]

@@julosx It was not so hard. Just bouncy as the shock absorbers did not do much. With deep sprung seats to help. Had to be soft to handle the roads.

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

yeah,the Amby gets really hot

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

I remember when this imported back to the UK when I was a kid, and thinking it looked old hat compared to modern cars but it was the price that was focused on. Great to hear the story of this car from the Morris Days to its Ambassador days.

[@Wingedmechanic]

That thing was like a boat. It has the size and weight of a large boat, pickup of a rowing boat and handling of a sailboat. Braking was premeditated, while steering was a punishment. But the ride was heavenly.

[@NayanJB]

🤣

[@thunderb00m]

Ambassador: not a car, a land boat

[@murgatroydfungus4352]

The Dark Souls of the Indian car scene.

[@unclejoe6811]

If you think that is a boat the American Chevrolet Tahoe is an aircraft carrier

[@nicolek4076]

When I was ten years old (early 1960s), my family (me included) went to live for some years in Delhi. My father imported a more modern Morris Oxford traveller in which we travelled many thousands of miles during the long school holidays. It stood up well to the Indian roads - the only problem being the exhaust pipe which fell off at regular intervals. That car's predecessor swarmed the roads and I remember clearly the distinctive smell of the interiors of the taxis - a mixture of sweat and engine oil, I think. It was a very happy period of my life.

[@nygelmiller5293]

To Nicole from Nygel. If you liked the nostalgic smell of sweat and engine oil - perhaps you could bring it out in Perfume and Aftershave versions!

[@nicolek4076]

@@nygelmiller5293 Interesting idea, but I never said I liked the smell - distinctive is not the same as pleasant. As for the happy period, I might have given the wrong impression - living in India as a child in that era, was a happy period for me.

[@deathwings51]

Atleast someone remembers the falling exhaust pipe other than me 👍🤣

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

those Ambassador taxis still exist,and they smell the same.

[@nicolek4076]

@@madhukarjonathanminj2772 Thank you. That's made my day. I'd hate to think that something as unique as the smell of an Ambassador taxi had been lost to future generations.

[@user-vj8rm3nb2c]

My uncle is a doctor and he's still using this classic piece on regular basis. it's doing well.

[@keerthisureshseelam]

Doctor kept the car healthy…as expected

[@edwardkantowicz4707]

Good man! I'll bet he looks very distinguished driving her. Such an iconic design. I hope your uncle eventually passes it along to a family member who shall cherish it.

[@Akelehimarenge]

Premier Padmini, Hindustan Ambassador , contessa and Maruti 800 are pure nostalgia to a 90's kid.

[@gilesflower]

The first time I went to India (Chennai), in 2000, there were Ambassadors (and Padminis) everywhere. My father-in-law had a lovely olive green one. My most recent trip was this year and I think I saw two, the whole time. It's amazing how quickly and completely the Indian car market has changed.

[@thechosenone1533]

It was almost the only car you could buy for a long time and was still the luxury car until the 1990s so what you saw were most likely old models. They have aged out now and no one bought new ones.

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

economic liberalisation after 93 changed many things

[@clarivsmedia8697]

Our first family car was the Morris Oxford on which the Amby was based. They were legendary for toughness and reliability in British Guiana. Visiting India in 1989- 91 I was thrilled to see hundreds of Ambys . Riding in them brought back many fond memories. Thanks for producing this video.

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

there are still plenty of them in West Bengal and certain parts of South India

[@bernddoerper5667]

What an impressive story. I know the Ambassador from some visits in SriLanka, when we visited my wifes family there. It is very interesting how long they tried to keep this car in production and how often it had been modified. So thank's a lot for this informative Video.

[@donkensler]

I was on a business trip to India in the late 90s, and one of the members of our group was an Australian who had emigrated from the UK sometime in the 60s. He was astounded (and I think somewhat excited) to see so many Morris Oxfords circulating on the streets of Mumbai.

[@rotrecoz6108]

In 2008 ambassadors wasn't the prime minister's official car. Although some ministers used it. After 2001 terrorist attack on the parliament the amby got replaced with a BMW 7 series. Then it got replaced by a updated 7 series followed by Range rover (sometimes a land cruiser also). Currently it's a maybach s650 guard.

[@wishdj]

I am a 44-year-old guy of Indian origin who moved to Sydney, Australia 20 years back. I have been a car enthusiast since early childhood. My father had a Premier Padmini that had the "Fiat" badge, which he had bought just after I was born in the late '70s. During my childhood in India in the '80s, I remember being a car snob and getting bored of just seeing Ambassadors or Premier Padminis in the Indian roads. Seeing the occasional imported cars like Mercedes was sight to behold back then and it actually became news in school if any imported exotic cars were sighted. India opened the market to imported cars in the mid '90s and started manufacturing many foriegn models like you mentioned. Along with manufacturing of foriegn cars, the introduction of locally designed and made Tata cars lead to the death of Ambassador and Premier. This video brought back so many childhood memories that am in near tears right now. I currently own a Mercedes C63S AMG Estate. Hats off to you for giving us this well researched video on not just the Ambassador but about the Indian car history in general.

[@BigCar2]

Thanks for you kind words.

[@watsisbuttndo829]

As a aussie bloke that races classic bikes, i would love to get my hands on a rajdoot 350. Yamaha rd350 made in india. Known to be highly tunable.

[@wishdj]

​@@watsisbuttndo829 The Yamaha RD 350 was a craze back in the early '90s in India, especially among teens and young adults. It was the most powerful locally manufactured bike at that time. I remember riding behind my high schoolmate's Rd 350, him ripping and me nearly pissing in my pants in the back in fear!

[@Bellett64]

Well done on your current choice of ride. More people should buy brutally fast wagons!

[@petesmitt]

@@Bellett64 meh..

[@Infrared73]

Canadian here. I have to admit, it actually grew on me. It's the type of car that if/when some retro-cars become popular it would be a great candidate. Make a EV car, use the style/shape and release it in 5-10 years in countries where the history of the car is relevant. The challenge is of course that the new car needs to be really good.

[@TassieLorenzo]

EVs should have good aerodynamics though, either a Kammback like the Prius or Ioniq (or Citroens past), or something like the Mercedes EQS which has a drag coefficient of 0.2. About 90% of power consumption at highway speeds goes to aerodynamic drag, so there is almost a 1:1 saving in power consumption for every percent of drag saved.

[@glitchboi3537]

Apparently after group psa bought it they are currently working on an all new electric ambassador and probably an ICE Contessa

[@kunalns]

Both my grandfathers drove Ambassadors in the early 1990s, and I absolutely loved riding in those big, roomy cars. They probably weren't a lot of fun to drive though - both had the older 55hp engine, no power steering and those awful column shifters. Thank you for this lovely video on the Amby - it really brought back some good memories!

[@nygelmiller5293]

The all-black one in the picture, with blacked out windows and fancy wheels actually looks ICONIC. It's not only the MINI that was successfully updated!

[@jimhenry6844]

I was a defense contractor, owned a vehicle armor protection company. Spent time in Arab countries, Pakistan, and among other countries, India. It was shockingly hilarious to be in New Delhi, and seeing the Indian Prime Minister and his entourage traveling through the city in his stream of little white Ambassadors,on his way to meet with a bunch of African National Congress reps meeting in the hotel I was staying at,some years ago.lol. It was a uniquely Indian cultural heritage. It was great to observe.

[@mastergreyskull523]

Was this 15 years ago?

[@jimhenry6844]

@@mastergreyskull523 2005

[@mastergreyskull523]

@@jimhenry6844 hmm just as i suspected...now it's benz/bmw/land rover

[@captainzoll3303]

it's quite impressive when you consider that it outlived Morris, the very company which invented it.

[@rkoforever90]

TBH Ashok Leyland and Royal Enfield outlived their parent companies.

[@nygelmiller5293]

@@rkoforever90 who exactly was this version of Leyland - could you explain, please? Also, I'm amazed to realise how Royal Enfield are! So who was THEIR parent company?

[@assault6051]

@@nygelmiller5293 ok so remember the British royal Enfield? yeah that company made an Indian entity with an Indian company called Madras motors. Called Enfield motors. Now that British royal Enfield died, but the Indian Enfield motors continued to prosper. So Madras motors (now called eicher motors) completely bought Enfield motors and the badge of royal Enfield, so the 'royal enflied' that you seeing right now is basically an Indian company.

[@nygelmiller5293]

@@assault6051 Wow! Mystery solved! Bit like the Daimler company, of Germany - which started a British subsidiary, and ended up being separate from the German one!

[@assault6051]

@@nygelmiller5293 fun fact that daimler is also owned by am Indian company.

[@ichibanmanekineko]

So happy to have some cars from other regions outside North America and Europe! Great video and can't help but love the Morris Oxford

[@Etendard1708]

Yep. Plenty of topics to bring up. Even noy all North American and European cars have been finisished to be covered

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

it was basically an Indianised British car

[@cretinaceous]

I visited an Indian Parliament in 2004. On the first day, thé Chief Minister came to the Parliament. His motorcade of about 14 cars swept into the forecourt. Each car had a security detail holding on the car, each man with his hand to his ear to listen to radio exchanges. It was just like a US presidential motorcade except in one small detail - they were all white Hindustan Ambassadors! I later took a 3 day tour in a yellow Ambassador taxi. It felt decades old - especially the “springs” in the seat. Under the deal I paid for his food but he provided his overnight accommodation - his car.

[@SaiyadJavedAli]

I still have my amby. Roaring loud and proud

[@pradhyudh]

I have seen tens of videos about ambassadors but still in this video half of the information was brand new for me , where do u find this much information? man, i am genuinely surprised

[@larrylaffer3246]

It's kinda like the Checker Cab Company. They built their cabs on relatively the same body style from the mid 50's to 1985.

[@BigCar2]

That would be a good one to do a video about.

[@strassenbahnfilmguy9306]

@@BigCar2 Also about FIAT in India 😁

[@nlpnt]

@@strassenbahnfilmguy9306 Yeah, they didn't stay up to date with the Italian models *at all*; the "Premier Padmini" name was launched in 1974-5 because the license expired and Turin didn't want to be associated with the old 1100-103 anymore, five years into the 128's run.

[@steved3702]

@@BigCar2 Definitely one to put on the list!

[@isaacsrandomvideos667]

Yeah

[@shankarbalan3813]

In the 1960’s and 1970’s one could buy a Standard Herald, Standard Gazel, Fiat - Premier Padmini, Ambassador. And the Ambassador by far was the best and most comfortable choice for a middle of the road, middle class family because of its space and capacity to carry passengers and cavernous dicky/ boot for their luggage. Ambassador’s ensured that we travelled in relative comfort. Fiats were bought by chaps who liked a faster sportier car. And the Herald was bought by well off young couples.

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

Eh, Ambassador was mostly bought by well off people as a status symbol, Padmini was the middle of the road middle class car, though the term "middle class" was very vague during the time of the existence of these cars, having a car at all was a very big privilege.

[@prashanthb6521]

This is the best car according to me, even with all its flaws. My childhood was spent being driven around in this. Lots of memories.

[@shagirani5518]

This is the very first car i sat in, such a good memory, will never forget it.

[@timothydavy968]

My father owned an Ambassador when he was a tea planter in Assam, he drove it for about 15 years , it was easy to maintain and proved a reliable and rugged workhorse, we had a very enthusiastic driver mechanic who maintained it in tiptop condition I do not remember it ever breaking down

[@richardgreenwood3355]

I remember the Ambassador being available in the UK in the mid-1980s. I had NO idea it remained available until 1998.

[@typicalprocrastinator_1395]

My parents migrated from village to city for better life.. my Village was about 100kms away and i remember during summer holidays my father would drive us to our village and oh boi was it an adventure.. the vast back seat was a kingdom for my brother and me.. we would make up stories about kings and it being our chariot.. we would play so hard we'd be knocked out cold by the time we reached there.. I had 15 cousins.. and our car would take us on a joy ride every evening. Be it the local ponds/wells to swim , fields to learn farming or the semi forests to climb trees and forage for the local fruits.. No other car comes close to the nostalgia.. especially considering all my cousins are spread across different countries and hardly meet anymore..

[@vijayrajha]

We have had Morris Minors, Hindustan 14s, Ambys from mark 2 upto the Nova at some point or the other. And now I have just picked up a 1961 Mk1 Amby. By the way Hindustan Motors did make other American cars such as the Studebaker Commander which I have still passed down to me from three generations ago.

[@tvoommen4688]

The maharaja of Travancore did own a Studebaker car until recent years.

[@siddharthshekhar909]

Superb video. I'm nostalgic about the Ambassador . My mother was a senior government official and had an ambassador for her use. I have travelled a lot in this car . In Ambassador taxis too. They were very spacious ,rugged and suited for Indian roads and climate. I call it " the tank among cars " 🙂

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

The Avigo version with the slanted headlamps was the most attractive design. I might have bought one of those if they were available where I live.

[@shourjoebasu1896]

One of my uncles was a senior scientist in Dhanbad , working in and around coal mines. He had a pristine white ambassador which had a power steering , air conditioning and seats that made you feel like a king of all that you passed through. One of the reason he could keep using it was that the government provided a full time chauffer who also acted (somewhat reluctantly) as a part time mechanic and the repairs plus fuel was also paid for by the government. Even today if I can get my hands on that car and can afford a driver and fuel , I will take it over at least two of the three cars(Polo , Glanza , Creta) that I drive . Simply put , it is car where you sit at the back and relax , it is not the best if you have to drive it yourself although another of my uncles drove it from Rajasthan (Rajsamand) to West Bengal (Halisahar) all by himself and the only problem he had was the constant stopping to let the car cool down (those were before the days of coolant and water was used.) My father recollects a story often where they stuffed 18 people into his first ambassador while returning from a marriage party and the car still chugged along like the bad*ss workhorse it is. In one word this is not a car for us , its an emotion.

[@user-ih7gc7dt9l]

110 mph in a Morris Oxford! Hilarious and terrifying!

[@charlesdale1462]

I was passed on the A30 by an Anglia doing at least 100 mph!

[@eekee6034]

Especially with drum brakes all round. I remember an article in Car magazine in the 90s; they were quite clear on the braking issue.

[@quiet7632]

I miss this car so much. I haven't seen one in a long time. It used to be ubiquitous when we took family trips back to India to see relatives.

[@viking007]

I’m an Indian. While I can assure you that there is no nostalgia for this car in the country today, Indians would surely applaud you for having made such a comprehensive video on the car and its maker’s long and chequered history. Brilliant work.

[@edwardkantowicz4707]

@viking007 That's a shame, despite some of the remarks here from proud owners, and those grateful who inherited heirloom autos. In a marketplace where almost all modern cars look somewhat alike, with rather uninspiring aesthetics, the Amby has soul! Almost all my most favourite cars seem to have been designed by Sir Issigonis. I love how Hindustan Motors kept the Ambassador alive for so very long. They made some rather handsome improvements over the years without ruining its vintage style. Jai Hind 🇮🇳

[@viking007]

@@edwardkantowicz4707 The problem is that the build quality of the Ambassador was appalling, good design or not. Amd technologically it was a huge leap into the past. There is also the psychological association that many Indians have of this car with the hated license raj, and also the fact that this was the politicians' and bureaucrats' official car, two groups of people who would be the official hate mascots of India.

[@edwardkantowicz4707]

​@@viking007 Thank you for your reply, and I can appreciate all your good points. Certainly re-using that old tooling and dies for so long leads to other problems, as expressed in the video. Panel gaps being filled with lead, whilst still permitting tonnes of dust entering the cabin must certainly be disconcerting as well. I suppose I'm blindsided by the romance of vintage cars, and how cool they appear. I'm almost sixty, and I often wonder if I'd appreciate the newer styles if I were younger. I do hope the EV version is a success.

[@anirudhkapoor1996]

Dude, your research skills are fantastic!! Hats off to you!

[@georgemaund4964]

There was a basic model sold as the Morris Cowley....great fun to drive as a teenager but most younger drivers would find the pull out choke, column gear change, handbrake by the bottom of the right side door, lack of power steering and servo brakes hard for them to handle.

[@uncinarynin]

First Ed's Auto Reviews, now you ... Back in 2012 I was in India with a friend and we still had several opportunities to ride in the back of an Ambassador taxi. We found it decent for that job, having quite good space for rear seat passengers. The suspension was allright, suitable for the rough roads still found in many places, but considerably shaky.

[@joshdevdoss9041]

Ambys as what they're called here are a huge part of my childhood. They were built like tanks.

[@narasimanrajendran2956]

Mitsubishi lancer is even today's standard one of the fun to drive and dream car. Its still awesome and iconic.

[@johndoyle4723]

Thanks, during my time in India I had many Taxi rides in an Ambassador.It was the car horn that took most abuse. Parts were numerous and all the street mechanics could fix them with a hammer. I often saw them rolled on their side on to a pile of old tyres, so they could remove a gearbox, or fix an exhaust. When did they change from "Hindusthan", to "Hindustan"?

[@BigCar2]

They used Hindusthan in the 50s for the Morris Minor, and maybe a little beyond that. Not sure why.

[@watsisbuttndo829]

Saw a recent guy martin show in india and he bought a low mile enfield and the horn was worn out. He found a roadside repair shop making a living just fixing horns.

[@eekee6034]

Rolled onto their side on a pile of old tires... I wish the mechanic in my family had done that instead of doing everything the hard way - with me helping! lol

[@rexsceleratorum1632]

@@BigCar2 -sthan is more the Sanskrit pronunciation while -stan is more Persian, as you can see in all the Stans in Central Asia. Hindustan means "place of Indians" with rather clear Persian origins -- In proper Sanskrit it should be something like Sindhusthan. In the end, Hindustan is the more common spelling regardless of how people pronounce it, and they probably gave up on pushing the Sanskritized spelling.

[@rikilshah]

Engine sound of Ambassador is absolutely sweet!

[@REPOMAN24722]

Indias Lada, love it, bring back the old school. none of this automatic trans self driving bull. I am only 30 so not a boomer some young people still prefer simplicity.

[@acceleratefaster46]

i live near kolkata, where these cars are still alive and kpt prestine. I must say though how many cars I have ridden in my life but this car is something special.

[@subratachatterjee672]

The caption is absolutely true to its nature because ambassador was best car in India till now lakhs of ambassador cars are plying in the Indian roads still refused to die hopefully it will come like a pheonix

[@Objectification]

That Peugeot 206 ad is still awesome

[@gerarduspoppel2831]

I know exactly what ad you mean.

[@gerarduspoppel2831]

I know exactly what ad you mean.

[@JK061996]

It's one of my favorite ads ever

[@dcarbs2979]

The song from it was a top 10 single too.

[@cisium1184]

I assume its looks played a role in its long life. It was a much more handsome car than most of its more modern competitors.

[@itsourlife]

Ambassador survived all the way till 2010 with that same design (almost) is a testament of how loved the car really is. I was excited about re-launch but was appalled to learn it will be electric. Will probably but one and re-fit with old diesel engine. 😊

[@vivekanandpattar1607]

It will be ICE model.

[@krishnanunnimadathil8142]

Seats. And space. Both are at a huge premium these days. And as someone else said, it was built like a tank by comparison to what we have these days. My uncle getting an AC fixed inside his Ambassador(then a novelty) is one of my most favorite memories. And the wipers always malfunctioned! Good times. Thank you for this.

[@carlc5748]

Thank you for your excellent presentation here, verbally, and graphically. I learned alot about the history of this iconic Indian car, from your presentation. I recall that the Yugo did not make an appearance, at least in America, until about 1986, and Malcolm Bricklin imported them to the USA. He had his own car, the Bricklin which was only sold for two years in the USA, in 1974 and 1975. Thank you for such a fine presentation. I learned alot about cars from the world by playing with my favorite toy, the made in England, Matchbox cars, of which I still possess.

[@magnumgratings6896]

Ambassador's Back Seat comfort is still a Benchmark for the Indian Automotive industry

[@write2pras84]

The late 1980s early 90s design just had something about them. It's extremely appealing to the eye with curves at the right places. No amount of attempts to redesign results in anything remotely good. Nostalgia factor is immense with that car. It's looks bulky and feels indestructible. My uncle had it and when I visited during summer holidays, I'd sit in the front right next to him in the middle, and watch him as he changes the gear with the gear-handle sticking out from behind the steering wheel.

[@vivekanandpattar1607]

We owned total 6 Ambys from 1983-2010. All are diesel engine d cars. Converted. I learnt driving at night in hill-stations. Very fun to drive car. with torquey engines. and ultimate Safety. KING OF INDIAN ROAD S FOREVER.

[@cookiesandcocktails]

As an Indian I'm so excited to see this!!! Thank you @bigcar !

[@johnedwards3198]

Fascinating and a happy coincidence that I saw a piece on the wider of the Indian production history on Eds Auto Reviews channel. Would highly welcome the people's first and last car favourite the Nissan Micra/March!!!

[@gerarduspoppel2831]

I just had to Think the same. I saw that video the day before yesterday I believe

[@gerarduspoppel2831]

I just had to Think the same. I saw that video the day before yesterday I believe

[@anthonydavies5605]

We had an Ambassador Traveller when we lived in Durgapur. Solid, reliable and easy to maintain.

[@phillipcleaver7063]

We had one , now I know it was a series 2 , very comfortable , column change 4 speed gearbox , handbrake down the side of the driving position seat squab , the joints in the gearchange were rubber washers , these fell to bits , so Dad made an impromptu kit out of nylon sheet to replace them , it never changed gear better , these new washers took the slop out of the linkage , excellent instrumentation for it,s time , happier days .

[@martentrudeau6948]

A great history about an important car with British roots but adapted to Indian manufacturing and use. It's very unique and cool.

[@HumourousMonk]

Hindustan ambassador- The king of Indian roads!

[@uberspanfilms]

What beautiful video!!! Top class! My family owns an Ambassador Mark 1 from 1961, originally purchased by my grandfather, and it still in our garage.

[@nshirsekar725]

I grew up with a 'Landmaster' during the 60's in Ahmedabad. I could stand up on the front seat, with my dad, driving alongside. Sweet memories. There were so few private cars on the roads, then.

[@irsw51]

The Oxford Traveller shown is a Mark III. The Mk IV was a four door estate made from 1957 to 1960 when it was replaced by the Mk V Farina. The Ambassador estate seems to be based on the Mk IV. (They seemed to use Roman numerals.) .

[@shaseebullahh]

The first time I ever received a notification from this channel and it was about the Ambassador. Nice.

[@ghoste1008]

Today it still have a massive fans here we loved it... In our state manipur Some minister used Up armoured Ambasador with Four wheel drive added because of the weight... It got protection under the chassie if Granade explode and bullet proof glass and everywhere bullet proof to some extend like 7.6 mm riflenround... And it gained weight soo some Local workshop modified and Add Rear and front axel to use Four Wheel drivr 😆😆😆 its incedible

[@anilkinikar]

Well narrated. The new generation would know the details well now. Ambassador and Fiat were two iconic cars India started with and Jeep.

[@nadeemchaudhry6585]

This really is the car that won't die... Thanks for another great and well researched video.

[@gerarduspoppel2831]

@@aidaaliten8817 what is up with the numbers?

[@poomsiraprapasiri8448]

My dad was in India in the early 2000's studying investment opportunities for a Thai company. He was so impressed with the Ambassador and wanted to import one back home to Thailand.

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

that surprising, considering the Thai's have better cars

[@poomsiraprapasiri8448]

@@madhukarjonathanminj2772 indeed in Thailand he had Toyota, Peugeot, Volvo, BMW and Mercedes, but he really liked the classic look of the Ambassador.

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

@@poomsiraprapasiri8448 ah, that makes sense

[@the20hunk]

when i was 3-4 years old my father had an ambassador , i have very fond memories of this car

[@AK-wn5ri]

I am part of the generation that grew up seeing only 2-3 car model on road. Ambassador, Padmini and Jeep (usually driven by cops or as taxi in mountain areas). I grew up admiring Ambassador as it was basically a tank and sat in my first car which was Ambassador in 1995. As a kid it was nothing short of sitting in a joy ride in a park. When family decided to buy our first car Ambassador was in its last leg, no innovation since it was designed and then Suzuki had tied up with Maruti and there were other models in the market. Ambassador had fans even in 2000 and there was talk of changing the design completely with automatic transmission, new engine and other features. But management was crap. I just wished Ambassador had management like that of Royal Enfield who were in similar situation once, but now it is one of the leading bike manufacturer of the world.

[@rickmcdonald1557]

A very interesting video and I can only imagine the amount of research you did to have so much information to show. I was a typical "Hot Rodder" in the sixties and have loved cars for 60 yrs. but I don't believe I ever knew about these Indian Cars you showed. We had a few Vauxhalls, Morris, Citroens and Triumphs running around back then but very few at that. American Muscle Cars were the Kings of the road and I miss them greatly. Thanks for putting on such a great showing of what went on with the auto in another part of the globe back then. New Sub today~!

[@nitroforce87]

Nice! I love learning about cars from different places in the world

[@Ambassador_Ganesh]

Ambassador the king of Indian roads. it never dies. i am proud to be a Ambassador owner. now the ambassador 2.0 is coming 👍

[@tolykozin]

what a journey ! Terrific narration, really appreciate it!

[@ssoth1762]

Love your in depth history of every car you cover. Can't wait for every new video that comes out. Thank you for your effor. It's greatly appreciated. 👍

[@BigCar2]

Much appreciated!

[@leno4920]

Fascinating, informative, very well researched & personably presented.....in short A Great Watch 👍

[@truth7653]

My father bought one new in 1960 for Rupees 14,000=00 then, have very fond memories, solid, reliable, roomy and what not. Father sold it in 1985 for Rs 14000=00. 1960 14000 rupees was a lot of money compared to 14000 25 years later.

[@sekharan_1]

Thorough research and content on the subject. kudos ...brings happy memories of my childhood.

[@Raj-nh3fc]

Thank you for this fantastic review full of information not only about the "Amby" but even the history of post war India, its political and economic development full of hiccups. Very accurate too! Nice!

[@shaywhelan1]

A most enjoyable video. Fascinating to learn about the culture of Indian that lead to its longevity.

[@davidhinkson8856]

This is quite a story - they really worked hard to keep it up to date over the years.

[@MysteryMan101]

It was our first family car from 70’s to 90’s . So many childhood memories attached to it. Nostalgia..

[@jadesmith6823]

I'd still buy one of these than any electric vehicles 🙏🙌

[@Nantwich6869]

Спасибо что выпускаете видео. Всегда рад их посмотреть, ну и помочь каналу комментарием.

[@aritrachakrabarty9714]

In my city Kolkata, we still see cabies driving it , it is dam comfortable, it feels like we are sitting in a sofa ❤.

[@isaacsrandomvideos667]

That’s awesome I didn’t know they made essentially the same car for so long. For some reason I just love old cars that are still made. It’s a modern classic.