A Drive from Kolkata to London - in an Ambassador

planet_rocker · 5th June 2007, 09:16

One vehicle that makes heads turn in London is the Ambassador. So rare is the car in Great Britain that a specialised taxi service in London charges through the roof for a ride. But come August, there will be at least one more Ambassador in the UK.

The owners will be Max Benitz and George Vlasto, students of Edinburgh University who have spent the past nine months studying at Calcutta University. They have decided to undertake a journey across 17 countries, three mountain ranges, two deserts and three seas in the car. The trip will take them from the city to London, through Pakistan, China, central Asia and Europe. They will start early on Thursday and cover at least 15,000 km before reaching London in August.

Detailed Report: The Telegraph , Calcutta

humyum · 5th June 2007, 10:19

The entire cost of the trip is just 6 lakh 40 thousand rupees aka 8000 pounds

including the car

.That is a cheap man for a trip like this

planet_rocker · 5th June 2007, 11:16

yes - the cost comes to around 8000 pounds. its a petrol engine which means they will be using the 1.8 ISZ mpfi?? i hope they will have an awsome trip to london.

cheap_deal · 5th June 2007, 13:25

why an ambassador? and what is the purpose of the trip? publicity stunt or some charity run?

planet_rocker · 5th June 2007, 13:57

1. they are raising money for Future Hope, Kolkata and Royal Marsden Hospital, London.

2. adventure.

good cause

sbasak · 5th June 2007, 14:06

Who says Ambassador is dead?

It's interesting to learn that they are carrying enough parts to make a replacement engine on the way!

GTO · 5th June 2007, 17:00

Come to think of it : Why not the Amby? British roots, repair anywhere, comfy ride and a great back seat to sleep on.

Ashok · 7th June 2007, 04:23

I wish them luck - sounds like the adventure of a lifetime.

toiingg · 7th June 2007, 06:44

I had read somewhere a long time back that some guys had taken this trip on an enfield bullet. The guy came to India, bought a 2nd hand bullet and rode it to london.

There he sold it off to a collector for enough money to cover his trip, the cost of the bike + a handsome profit. Not bad eh !

anonymous · 7th June 2007, 20:33

Man, I am speechless. Not everyone can dare to do such things.

hvkumar · 7th June 2007, 21:17

Amby apart, the Europe-India is a very popular drive - many European drivers do it every year. Unfortunately, for Indians, Pakistan does not issues visas to pass through. There are even regular bus tours (Dragoman, for instance) from London/Istanbul/Cairo to Delhi/Chennai/Kathmandu - around 3 months.

ajmat · 25th August 2007, 18:11

...and they have reached!

She is known as the "Old Lady" of the Indian road, but 50 years after the first Ambassador car rolled off the Calcutta production lines there is yet further proof of the essential durability of her design.

Max and George drive the Ambassador over the Khunjerab Pass in the Pakistani Himalayas

Two British history students, Max Benitz and George Vlasto, both 22, puttered triumphantly up the Fulham Road in London after completing a kidney-rattling 9,000-mile drive from Calcutta this week in aid of charity.

From the 15,400ft Khunjerab Pass of the Pakistani Himalayas, to the potholed highways of Central Asia and finally on to the smooth autoroutes of France, "Her Excellency" always proved up to the task.

"She's taken a pounding along the way and we've expended two entire rolls of duct tape keeping her together," said Mr Benitz yesterday as he nervously submitted the car for its MoT at a London garage.

more here

hvkumar · 25th August 2007, 20:47

.....and we Indians can only read and regret. Is Pakistan ever going to allow Indians driving visas to pass through? I have my Europe trip planned and bottled up for the last 7 years, waiting to be unlocked the day Pakistan decides to give Indians visas!!!

planet_rocker · 26th August 2007, 11:26

a very good news indeed - i am glad the car made it through.

by the way, what is this MoT test?

ajmat · 26th August 2007, 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

by the way, what is this MoT test?

any car over three years has to undergo this on an annual basis. Involves checking lights, tyre condition, emissions, suspension and steering linkages, brakes, corrosion etc.

Tough but fair system

5th June 2007, 09:16	#1
planet_rocker Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bong-land Posts: 2,323 Thanked: 426 Times	A Drive from Kolkata to London - in an Ambassador One vehicle that makes heads turn in London is the Ambassador. So rare is the car in Great Britain that a specialised taxi service in London charges through the roof for a ride. But come August, there will be at least one more Ambassador in the UK. The owners will be Max Benitz and George Vlasto, students of Edinburgh University who have spent the past nine months studying at Calcutta University. They have decided to undertake a journey across 17 countries, three mountain ranges, two deserts and three seas in the car. The trip will take them from the city to London, through Pakistan, China, central Asia and Europe. They will start early on Thursday and cover at least 15,000 km before reaching London in August. Detailed Report: The Telegraph , Calcutta
	() Thanks

5th June 2007, 10:19	#2
humyum Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 2,834 Thanked: 5,896 Times	The entire cost of the trip is just 6 lakh 40 thousand rupees aka 8000 pounds including the car .That is a cheap man for a trip like this
	() Thanks

5th June 2007, 11:16	#3
planet_rocker Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bong-land Posts: 2,323 Thanked: 426 Times	yes - the cost comes to around 8000 pounds. its a petrol engine which means they will be using the 1.8 ISZ mpfi?? i hope they will have an awsome trip to london.
	() Thanks

5th June 2007, 13:25	#4
cheap_deal BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: unknown Posts: 465 Thanked: 8 Times	why an ambassador? and what is the purpose of the trip? publicity stunt or some charity run?
	() Thanks

5th June 2007, 13:57	#5
planet_rocker Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bong-land Posts: 2,323 Thanked: 426 Times	1. they are raising money for Future Hope, Kolkata and Royal Marsden Hospital, London. 2. adventure. good cause
	() Thanks

5th June 2007, 14:06	#6
sbasak BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CCU-LTN Posts: 607 Thanked: 16 Times	Who says Ambassador is dead? It's interesting to learn that they are carrying enough parts to make a replacement engine on the way!
	() Thanks

5th June 2007, 17:00	#7
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 71,879 Thanked: 323,175 Times View My Garage	Come to think of it : Why not the Amby? British roots, repair anywhere, comfy ride and a great back seat to sleep on.
	() Thanks

7th June 2007, 04:23	#8
Ashok BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: London, UK Posts: 74 Thanked: 2 Times	I wish them luck - sounds like the adventure of a lifetime.
	() Thanks

7th June 2007, 06:44	#9
toiingg BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Calcutta Posts: 643 Thanked: 308 Times	I had read somewhere a long time back that some guys had taken this trip on an enfield bullet. The guy came to India, bought a 2nd hand bullet and rode it to london. There he sold it off to a collector for enough money to cover his trip, the cost of the bike + a handsome profit. Not bad eh !
	() Thanks

7th June 2007, 20:33	#10
anonymous BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NCR Posts: 564 Thanked: 26 Times	Man, I am speechless. Not everyone can dare to do such things.
	() Thanks

7th June 2007, 21:17	#11
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,368 Thanked: 3,468 Times	Amby apart, the Europe-India is a very popular drive - many European drivers do it every year. Unfortunately, for Indians, Pakistan does not issues visas to pass through. There are even regular bus tours (Dragoman, for instance) from London/Istanbul/Cairo to Delhi/Chennai/Kathmandu - around 3 months.
	() Thanks

25th August 2007, 18:11	#12
ajmat Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 15,216 Thanked: 31,655 Times View My Garage	...and they have reached! She is known as the "Old Lady" of the Indian road, but 50 years after the first Ambassador car rolled off the Calcutta production lines there is yet further proof of the essential durability of her design. Max and George drive the Ambassador over the Khunjerab Pass in the Pakistani Himalayas Two British history students, Max Benitz and George Vlasto, both 22, puttered triumphantly up the Fulham Road in London after completing a kidney-rattling 9,000-mile drive from Calcutta this week in aid of charity. From the 15,400ft Khunjerab Pass of the Pakistani Himalayas, to the potholed highways of Central Asia and finally on to the smooth autoroutes of France, "Her Excellency" always proved up to the task. "She's taken a pounding along the way and we've expended two entire rolls of duct tape keeping her together," said Mr Benitz yesterday as he nervously submitted the car for its MoT at a London garage. more here
	() Thanks

25th August 2007, 20:47	#13
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,368 Thanked: 3,468 Times	.....and we Indians can only read and regret. Is Pakistan ever going to allow Indians driving visas to pass through? I have my Europe trip planned and bottled up for the last 7 years, waiting to be unlocked the day Pakistan decides to give Indians visas!!!
	() Thanks

26th August 2007, 11:26	#14
planet_rocker Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bong-land Posts: 2,323 Thanked: 426 Times	a very good news indeed - i am glad the car made it through. by the way, what is this MoT test?
	() Thanks