[petroguzzler]

SOURCE: ACI

Hindustan Motors -- India’s oldest carmaker is in talks with some foreign powertrain manufacturers to source a new diesel engine to replace the 1.5 litre diesel for the Ambassador.
Its 2.0 litre diesel is currently undergoing tests at the ARAI. Ambassdor’s petrol, CNG and LPG engines have been upgraded to be BS IV compliant. HM also plans to monetize some of its non-core business/assets to strengthen itself financially. There could also be an equity partnership with its Japanese partner – Mitsubishi. Replying to a query from Autocar, an HM official said “plans have been there but we cannot specify any timelines”. He also said that Mitsubishi will have a ‘couple of new launches’ during this financial year. Mitsubishi dealership and service centres will be hiked to 50 during 2010-11, from the current level of 36 dealers.
Hindustan Motors recently reported itself to the BIFR (Board for Industrial & Financial Reconstruction), as its net worth eroded more than 50% of its peak net worth during the immediately preceding four years.
Its losses mounted to Rs. 42.85 crores in the year that ended on March 31, 2010. Losses during the previous year stood at Rs. 37.78 crores. HM says even though its networth has gone down, its flagship Ambassador’s production will not be affected. The company expects to sell around 1,000 Ambassadors monthly during this year. With the new plans HM says it is ‘confident’ of making profits this year.

[cruiser@0523]

Post deleted by the Team-BHP Support : Please do NOT post one-liners that add little or no informational value to the thread. We need your co-operation to maintain the overall quality of this forum.

Please read our rules before proceeding any further.

[SilkDrive]

Well now that the amby has made it to the world records for not having made significant changes for the longest duration, its hightime to think about a few.

No need to look far, just a few investigations in a few amby-fan clubs and inspirations from components in other successful cars in the country, in same price bracket can still work wonders for the amby. A significant volume of the population (especially in West Bengal ) do swear by amby even to this day. Just a couple of thoughts towards catering to the general & comfort needs of this populace would impart some substance behind the confidence of HM that is talked about in the original post.

I wonder what is preventing HM from drawing a conclusion as simple and as basic as this.

[anjan_c2007]

Ambassador is 50 plus and will continue to be in production. Nothing more soothing than this piece of news!
In fact its a mystery as to why HM did not celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Amby in 2008 ? I had been corresponding with Mr C.K. Birla and had suggested him to do something to give a fitting tribute to our National Car. I had also suggested him to take up the matter with the then Union Communications Ministry to get issued a commemorative postal stamp which this car so much deserved. In fact in Europe and South America, many countries issue commemorative postal stamps for iconic cars.
Mr C.K. Birla had replied to me that some events were planned but nothing was seen on the media.
Instead the Ambassador sales plummeted ever since its Golden Jubilee year and also causing losses to HM. Losses were seldom reported earlier.
Its soothing to learn that the Amby will get a facelift to stay in tune with the times.Thats a step which HM should have taken a decade back.Even the Isuzu engines are more than two decades old!
The government sales are dwindling- gone are those days when Shri Rajiv Gandhi, Shri Narasimha Rao, Shri A.B. Vajpayee used white Ambassadors followed by almost every politician and bureaucrat.
The Kolkata HC judgement to scrap 15 years or older commercial vehicles has seen numerous Amby taxis being scrapped and new ones being bought for use in the taxi trade of the metro. Thats a real sales booster for 2010!












All pictures clicked by me in Kolkata

[McLaren Rulez]

More like "Yesterday still dragging on..."

[rajeev k]

Dear HM,
Make a new car with some tie up and name it Ambassador and it will sell in more numbers. (Like Zen and Estilo)
This new car can compete with Indica/Indigo and the taxi cab or state car trade mark can march forward.

[SirAlec]

I so much hate this company.

They are planning to improve now not to give the best to their customer but only when the Govt. has imposed Euro IV. The same Govt. upon which it has earned its lively hood and still is .

ANd why is HM so shy in introducing the much awaited Lancer and EVo. Because they are still selling the old ones. or they have made it so many so they want to clear the old stocks.

[agspins]

Dear HM,
Make a new car with some tie up and name it Ambassador and it will sell in more numbers. (Like Zen and Estilo)
This new car can compete with Indica/Indigo and the taxi cab or state car trade mark can march forward.

That wont really help Amby in any way,Amby sells for what it is.....the improvement should be on quality and technology front rather than bringing in some new car.

[sidindica]

there is nothing like an ambassador-absolutely nothing which can offer you a sofa like back seat comfort.

Finally, I want to see a diesel engine from fiat's multijet-2.0, 170 bhp,on a rear drive chassis, pure muscle.

[kapss]

Originally Posted by sidindica

Finally, I want to see a diesel engine from fiat's multijet-2.0, 170 bhp,on a rear drive chassis, pure muscle.

And what good are 170 horses on a 50 year old chassis designed for 50 odd bhp and with a drag coefficient of an elephant.

[SilkDrive]

Originally Posted by sidindica

there is nothing like an ambassador-absolutely nothing which can offer you a sofa like back seat comfort.

Finally, I want to see a diesel engine from fiat's multijet-2.0, 170 bhp,on a rear drive chassis, pure muscle.

Its true that there is nothing like it, and the rear seat is best in business till date. But just upgrading the engine could hardly do any good to it. The entire platform calls for a replacement and the need of the hour for HM should be a completely new car in the disguise of similar (but not exatly same) looks of the amby with lots of contemporariness added to it.
The name should not be changed, though !

[rajeev k]

What I meant was like the old wagon R to the new one with tie up because we all know that HM do not have the technical competance to do so.

[rjalihal]

Old is gold. I just love the amby. That car can go on any darn terrain! And the rear seat is comfy as hell! An old fashioned connoisseurs classic indeed! All you need is a hat, a cigar and a checked coat!

[kraft.wagen]

Originally Posted by SirAlec

ANd why is HM so shy in introducing the much awaited Lancer and EVo. Because they are still selling the old ones. or they have made it so many so they want to clear the old stocks.

Absolutely, they still prefer selling us the old first gen cars and expect to not go into loss :(

Amby is so comfortable and got a strong build. IF, IF only HM can do something better instead of hanging on with just the name of Amby and letting it not go into history.
Make it better put some luxury in it, better engine

[musicmanaman]

Originally Posted by sidindica

there is nothing like an ambassador-absolutely nothing which can offer you a sofa like back seat comfort.

Finally, I want to see a diesel engine from fiat's multijet-2.0, 170 bhp,on a rear drive chassis, pure muscle.

Would love to see this too, however the chassie and body can't handle the added power, even the old 1.8 Isuzu at times is too powerfull for the old chassie.