[ritz830]

Just read from one of the forums that the Hindustan Ambassador is not doing well after poor sales, and its has now decided on profiting from components business according to ET.

Hindustan Motors looks at components business for revival- Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

Its sad, but at the same time sarcastic why Ambassasdor has not opted for any radical design change.

I have had the comfort of riding in the Amby, it is surely a special car with unique capabilities of riding over rugged roads. All these years it had kept quiet while the Tata sumo and Mahindra Bolero has stepped up to provide good looking cars but basically the same ride quality of the Amby and have eaten away its sales.

I just came across some radical design concepts which very much suits the Amby. Check it out and feel free to post anything and everything about Amby, the car which has more Indian to it than any other car.




source:
http://www.motorauthority.com/images...1/MINI-SUV.jpg
http://www.motorauthority.com/images...MINI-SUV-h.jpg

[CtrlAltDel]

Amby becoming India's Mini????

thats something to think about for sure! actually it can be made into a retro style icon like Mini and Beetle.

[gkrishk]

thats something to think about for sure! actually it can be made into a retro style icon like Mini and Beetle.

True:

• It has immense nostalgic value
  People love its MPV like space
  People (and politicians!) love its comfortable rear seat and luxurious ride
  But it cries out for changes to its 60-year-old mechanicals

[planet_rocker]

the Amby has received facelifts and i like the ones which are available now, especially the ones with body coloured bumbers.

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

especially the ones with body coloured bumbers.

And it looks really ugly. A vivid example of making something ghastly from something classic.

[D.V.R]

I dont know whether facelifts on the AMBY will help on the AMBY or not but a significant price cut would help boost sales.It has everything going for it except for its price ,imagine payaing 5-6 lakhs OTR for it.When the M800 was launched it was much expensive than the Amby but today the Amby is 3 times more expensive than it.Come on HM get the price down to 3-4 lakhs level see how the sales rocket upwards,You can do it since you have been selling it for the past 50 years and all the investment on the plants and dies must have been recovered.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

the Amby has received facelifts and i like the ones which are available now, especially the ones with body coloured bumbers.

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

And it looks really ugly. A vivid example of making something ghastly from something classic.

I think planet was speaking about the plastic Bumpered Grand which looks quite okay, wrt what I agree was the ghastly Avigo with its swept back headlamps.

I have a feeling that the Amby's time is going to come back. There are a few households that I know, who moved on from the Amby to the new cars like Santro, Zen etc, it was a craze. But offlate I have been overhearing discussions from those folks only, that their next car will be an Amby again. Two of them having bought new ones (of which one man moved from Esteem). Needless to say, they are all backseat passengers.

[v12]

I hate to say this, but I liked the Ambassador that Dilip Chhabria had designed a few years back. That I feel would have been the best design HM could have used. I forgot what it was called.

No, I'm not talking about the Amberoid.

[CtrlAltDel]

frankly i would mind buying a sexed up amby with the works - alloys, power-everything, modern engine and gearbox, abs, great front seats, sun roof etc etc etc.

[ritz830]

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

the Amby has received facelifts and i like the ones which are available now, especially the ones with body coloured bumbers.

The problem is these guys dont thing out of the box. Its very obvious how the Tata sumo just literally absorbed most of Ambassador's customers.

This pic shows two Tata sumo vs one Amby

[condor]

ritz830 : This pic shows two Tata sumo vs one Amby

The one in front of the Amby is a Bolero / Armada.

[ritz830]

Originally Posted by condor

The one in front of the Amby is a Bolero / Armada.

Thanks for pointing out. Yup bolero is one other car used heavily in suburbs. In fact, I have mentioned about bolero too in my first post.

Anyway, as long I convey my message its fine.

[onesomeone]

I read somewhere that HM is planning to launch a new car in a new platform in December? any idea about the new car?

[Path_Finder]

Forget the looks, bumpers, styling etc. If HM prices it right and markets properly, they still can win over the taxi and part of MUV market. Pricing should be comparable to Indica.

[m-hawk]

Originally Posted by Path_Finder

Forget the looks, bumpers, styling etc. If HM prices it right and markets properly, they still can win over the taxi and part of MUV market. Pricing should be comparable to Indica.

yes pricing and running(upkeep) expense is a huge factor for the taxi sector !!
Where the upkeep is compared only a donkey is cheaper to maintain . If the mechanicals becoming more reliable sorry but i dont know wether the latest amby has engine coolant in it s radiator and wether it has an alternator to charge the battery . Then it can be a super hit !! OFF course this has to be supported with pricing ( initial cost) .
For the private sector atleast in mumbai and delhi this will never click !! Kolkutta yet has a huge share of it yet !! It does nt carry enough snob value for mumbai and delhi . ( NO OFFENSE TO ANY BODY PLEASE )