[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Why in God’s name will anyone buy this awful love child of the Ambassador and the Indigo Manza in a world that has the Verna, City and Ciaz? It is as if these European brands are trying to fail in the market. You are a new brand trying to launch in a cutthroat segment of a market that operates on perception and image. You put your best foot forward, bring out your good products and try to better the existing. Like what Kia is doing. How stereotypically emotional and sentimental do they think we Indians are? We buy when we see value, not nostalgia.

On a lighter note, why call the child “awful”? Blame its parents! But on a serious note, who gave its parents the money to fool around so irresponsibly? Wonder how the design teams get budgets for these flights of fancy.

[ajmat]

What a waste, the target segment only recall the Ambassador as their grandfathers car! No one gives a damn about the Ambassador brand.

Ditto Fiat in India
Ditto MG in its original avatar

[Thad E Ginathom]

Often the odd one out, especially on design (of cars that don't look like Polo/Golf/etc ), I have to say that I quite like the body shape of this thing! Hey, I wonder if they kept the luggage-crushing boot hinges?

I think a lot of people do give a damn about the Ambassador brand... but not randomly applied to another vehicle. Generations of tourists were wowed by them (perhaps because they had the vague memory of the original). Obviously, many of our members will be full of love for the Ambassadors in their families.

On the road, from Duster to Ertiga, I find car model names increasingly weird. Ambassador is a bit refreshing among them. But nobody is going to buy it for the name. In fact, the more they loved the original, the less likely they are to buy this.

Maybe it's a good car. Maybe it will work out despite the attempt at associating it with the Ambassador of the past.

If Ford started selling cars called Consul or Zephyr, would I buy because of my childhood? Nope.

By the way... When I first came to live here, my neighbour had an ambassador. He was certainly wealthy enough to buy a much nicer car. I wondered why he didn't: he said that he didn't want to be seen as showing off! He belonged to a generation that did not flaunt their wealth, or waste it on stuff like that. White shirt, white vesti, was enough enough style for him. These days, I can think of Dr Nalli: if you spot him in his T Nagar shop, you would never think that he was the patriarch of the business. But... even he, now, is driven around in a Mercedes.

[Latheesh]

Lower that by few more mm, black colour, and add black tinted glass. There you have it, an Indian gangsta car. It may look like distant cousin of Chrysler 300. I like it.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

By the way... When I first came to live here, my neighbour had an ambassador. He was certainly wealthy enough to buy a much nicer car. I wondered why he didn't: he said that he didn't want to be seen as showing off! He belonged to a generation that did not flaunt their wealth, or waste it on stuff like that. White shirt, white vesti, was enough enough style for him. These days, I can think of Dr Nalli: if you spot him in his T Nagar shop, you would never think that he was the patriarch of the business. But... even he, now, is driven around in a Mercedes.

My cousin does some textile business with folks in Tirupur. When he visits, a Mercedes picks him up and is with him for the whole time. As for the poor owner, they are happy with their Hyundai's so much so, they have invested in a dealership. They hate the ostentatious Mercedes but need it for business purposes.

[neofromcapone]

Buying the brand is an investment,
It will create a buzz in the market
Forums will have a fair amount of chatter.
Because the history and nostalgia, recall value of the Ambassador, it will get rubbed off on to Citroen (how may have heard this name to even pronounce it correctly?)
A far cost effective way of getting attention in an overcrowded market

[dragracer567]

Originally Posted by ajmat

What a waste, the target segment only recall the Ambassador as their grandfathers car! No one gives a damn about the Ambassador brand.

Ditto Fiat in India
Ditto MG in its original avatar

Very true. However, we should remember that the same was the case for Royal Enfield but they managed to turn around it's image and make it the darling of the youth. Not saying it's possible with Amby but there is a possibility.

[rsidd]

Originally Posted by dragracer567

Very true. However, we should remember that the same was the case for Royal Enfield but they managed to turn around it's image and make it the darling of the youth.

The "they" is very different here. Royal Enfield did not come to India and turn around our Enfield. Royal Enfield died in the 1970s, and the Indian Enfield (Madras Motors, later Eicher) started using the name in the 1990s (apparently they had the rights already, for export to UK, but previously it was just "Enfield"). Also, they had essentially no competition in their sector -- the other manufacturers were focussed on 120cc bikes -- so a couple of good products and the "Royal Enfield" badge was enough to get them going. But, also, India's Enfield had a continuity with the original (like Mahindra Thar has with the Willys Jeep).

In this case PSA bought the Ambassador brand from Hindustan Motors and will perhaps introduce a car that is called Ambassador but has no connection with the original. Arguably MG has a better claim to the heritage (the Amby being a rebadged Morris Oxford).

Also: the Overdrive article seems to be mostly speculation; the pics are imaginings. Everyone who hates the pics should calm down.

[JS Kwt]

Citroen could bring back iconic AMBASSADOR nameplate with its CC26 Sedan (Honda City Rival) In The Works : Report

A new report claims that Citroen is also developing a new mid-sized sedan, which will be positioned against the likes of the Honda City, Hyundai Verna and the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz.



The exact launch timeline of the new Citroen CC26 sedan is yet to be announced, but it is most likely to be arrived by 2023.



The Citroen CC26 mid-sized sedan is most likely to be based on the simplified version of the Groupe PSA’s CMP (Common Modular Platform), which also underpins the Peugeot 208 hatchback. This platform is compatible with different body styles including SUVs, sedans, hatchbacks and MPVs, and can use multiple engine options such as petrol, diesel, electric and hybrid.



The report claims that Citroen could bring back the iconic Ambassador nameplate with the sedan; however, the company is yet to make an official statement on the same. For people not in the know, Groupe PSA had acquired the Ambassador brand from Hindustan Motors for 80 crores. Previous media reports suggest that Ambassador nameplate could be used exclusively for electric vehicles to be sold in India only.



Groupe PSA will officially launch its first product, the Citroen C5 Aircross in March 2021. This will come as a CKD model and is expected to be priced around Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh. Citroen has officially announced to launch locally developed products from the second half of this year. A sub-4 meter SUV, codenamed C21 will be the brand’s first product to be followed by a mid-sized SUV, codenamed CC24 in the mid-2022.

Citroen is reportedly working on an all-new mini electric SUV, which is rumoured to be priced under Rs 10 lakh.

Citroen has already announced that its locally developed affordable cars will come with petrol engine only. The sedan is likely to receive a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine with power output close to 130bhp. Both manual and automatic gearbox options will be on offer.

Source
Google Images

[RoadMonkey]

I would rather they try a retro styled EV named ambassador, a lot of people will just buy it for the nostalgia. I wish more OEMs tried retro designs for retro brands. Nostalgia sells.

[saket77]

Total mismatch of name vs what’s on offer. I mean the name Ambassador is itched so deeply and strongly among the Indians that it’s hard to imagine a hot sedan like this one to carry the nameplate. I would personally prefer a retro styled car or a people mover like Innova carrying a nameplate Ambassador; but that should obviously not be amongst the first cars by a relatively unknown company for the Indian market.
And not to miss, the design language of Citroen looks very classy. First the SUV and now this sedan, both designs are so conventional and pleasing to the eye.

[Nav-i-gator]

Well, to be honest, I don't think they should name a City/Verna rival sedan as Ambassador. For all the nostalgic value, the name is not considered aspirational for typical buyers of mid-size sedans (that are already dwindling in number).

It might work better, if they can launch a SUV (targeted at Scorpio segment - a la poor man's Fortuner for small/Wannabe power yielders).

[ajmat]

By the time, the Ambassador will be an unknown nameplate. Those in the know will remember it as a slow plodding compromise foisted on us for many generations. The younger generation will have no brand recollection

[Nithesh_M]

Hey if you can launch a City rival that underpins a 208 chassis, why not launch the 208 as an i20 rival instead? Atleast people are familiar with the 208 nameplate.

[sunishsamuel]

The car looks really good and if they are launching it in the avatar similar to the picture, the name ambassador will be ok.

Well, we had Premier Safari (stationwagon) and now the Tata Safari (in multiple avatars) so as long as the car is good the name will be accepted.