[octane_100]

The fit and finish is now on par with what the local garage guys can do. Finally HM is showing some improvement!!!
I think they have swiped the aircon controls from my 1995 Premier 118NE and the Music System from my 1988 Premier Padmini

[Yeldo]

Originally Posted by sidindica

Presenting the top end 2011 Ambassador Grand.
The country's first car with foot operated air conditioning controls and audio. Keep your hands on the steering wheel and let your legs do the rest.

Perfect garage- mate for the Mahindra Thar and Bullet Classic 350. Hope thirty threads are created with 50,000 posts each just like for the Thar. Maybe we may ask Premier to launch the rustbucket 118NE too? To beat the massive technology leap HM has achieved by making an LPG powered car, they could consider making it kerosene powered?

In my schooldays, we used to wait 3- 6 months for an Ambassador, then after delivery, take it to the welding shop, painter, and upholsterer. Heartening to see how things have improved.

[musicmanaman]

Hope they offer the LPG as an option for existing owners to convert too, and wonder what will be the cost if done. Apart from little high running cost due to Petrol, the Ambassador is a nice car, is rugged and will outlast you, if taken care off, has a tendency to overheat though in summers with AC and car not in motion.

By the way for people who don't know, I drive an Avigo, and from the pictures I see posted here, this looks like a cross between the Avigo and Grand, where the outer shell is Grand and interiors Avigo.

[cruiser@0523]

I have no words, have said it repeatedly in this forum, this rusty old rattle box should be scraped and a new Amby should be designed, I seriously doubt that HM has any automobile engineers/designers working for them, the updates look like they are done by third division B.A pass people, look at the power window switches !!

[dot]

I had stepped into this thread with some quirky curiosity. After seeing the interior pictures and the joke of a brochure, the feeling is like being inside a Hotel California. Once you are in, you cant get out.

Seriously, are we to believe that this car will actually compete with any offering of any other manufacturer?

My final conclusion is HM cannot stop Amby production in Howrah due to you-know-why reasons. So they have to churn out something.

[amrisharm]

I really believe HM can pull this off if they just follow what Royal Enfield has done with the 350 and 500 classic models.

Retro is in.. its in fashion right now. So if they have managed to get the reliability and rusty body sorted then they might just have a fairly successful niche product on their hands

[danlalan]

ABSOLUTE CRAP. Total rubbish. What on earth are they thinking. The whole world has moved on. But HM will stand where it is. Its truly a shame. The 300sl has gone on to become an sls amg. The camaro, wow. all those moved on to become icons. But hamara HM aukad hi nahi. Like they say.
Whats the 2050 model going to have i cant wait for that. Sunroof and 6 speed gear box.
Really someone needs to shake them up. Or their designers.
I want to know what clarkson has to say about this.

[dot]

@amrisharm, retro, yes. But not a pretender. If they really wanted retro, why not bring back Mark 2 or Mark 4 mated with modern equipments. They were pretty neat looking cars with tastefully done interiors.

[vivekgk]

Originally Posted by av8er

Not sure how many of you have owned Amby's here before but given a chance I will buy it anyday anytime. You can talk about rattles and niggles and all that but does anyone have any idea how cheap these cars are to maintain.

We have two Amby's one 1987 and another Grand 2003. Both are still doing duty in the rural areas of our country and both still exude confidence to the roads put forth to it. Where your Maruti's and Hyundai's had to back off these took off without even blinking.

When looked after I think it is a wonderful vehicle.

Are these Ambys self-driven or chauffered? The Amby is a nice enough car to be chauffered in, because the ride quality is great no matter what the road is like, owing to the well cushioned seats and the huge, high profile tyres.

While I do agree that the Amby is now part of our heritage, I think that in its current form it should go the way of the rest of our heritage, like the license raj, has gone - put away. It's a remnant from the British times, and the sad reminder of a restrictive past.

What you said is correct, the ride is great on our bad roads. In such a case, what should we be doing? Insisting that only the Amby can tackle those roads, or work to improve those roads so that modern cars can survive them?

Look at what this car offers. There is no fresh thought or ingenuity anywhere. Even the dash is from a badly marketed makeover. They put in that new dash, and they couldn't find way to squeeze in a decent set of AC controls and a 1DIN stereo in all that metal? They've designed it like an aftermarket modder on a shoestring budget would do it, not a car manufacturer.

Why is this a cause for concern? Because that is probably the amount of attention they've given to the engine mods as well. The only aim is to pass the BS4 requirements. How can we be sure that the engine will take the load of the Turbo, or that the LPG/CNG installation is safe?

This was an opportunity for HM to reboot the Amby and make a car that people would actually want to buy. And they've screwed up royally. I'm not saying that they should have done everything in-house. Why didn't they consult an outside firm like AVL for the engine mods and have a modern common rail diesel unit? Or a 16-valve head for the Isuzu petrol engine?

While on that matter, they must know that design houses work wonders with the Amby interiors. How about all-new interiors, with an ergonomic retro styled dash? It's not impossible to do, and it'll be cheaper to do in a series production vehicle.

I still dont understand why the PM choose a BMW. Well its my point and its subjective but I do feel he should use an Indian Manufactured car

This I agree with. It's sad that none of the Indian manufacturers (Tata and Mahindra, are you listening?) has thought to make a couple of exclusive cars for the PM. Imagine a Manza/Prima stretch custom, or an LWB Scorpio/Safari for the PM. If the US can have custom built cars for its president, so can we.

[amrisharm]

Originally Posted by dot

@amrisharm, retro, yes. But not a pretender. If they really wanted retro, why not bring back Mark 2 or Mark 4 mated with modern equipments. They were pretty neat looking cars with tastefully done interiors.

Well beggars cant be choosers i guess, lets just say if someone is out in the market looking for a retro styled vehicle for which spares are still available and with a bit of modern engineering.. then this would fit the bill.

they have not done a good job agreed, but i am sure HM is not aiming to sell thousands of these a month,most likely a few hundred. And at that, i think they will succeed .

[MAS]

Why this? The interior looks crappy and looks amateurish. HM could have done better. Cant they get their interiors right? The team does not have any common sense. I am sorry that the company has been named as "Hindustan" Motors

[sidvar]

I own and drive the Avigo and am glad too see the Avig dash being incorporated in the Grand. But they should have introdced some wood panelling.

[sidindica]

Originally Posted by danlalan

Whats the 2050 model going to have i cant wait for that. Sunroof and 6 speed gear box.

Sunroof was offered as a custom option from HM sometime in 2009.

[musicmanaman]

Originally Posted by sidvar

I own and drive the Avigo and am glad too see the Avig dash being incorporated in the Grand. But they should have introdced some wood panelling.

Finally I have someone other than me, who drives an Avigo, is it Petrol or Diesel? which year? I'm sure you are happy to see at least some action happening at the HM stable.

[Arkin evoisrevo]

Originally Posted by vivekgk

This I agree with. It's sad that none of the Indian manufacturers (Tata and Mahindra, are you listening?) has thought to make a couple of exclusive cars for the PM. Imagine a Manza/Prima stretch custom, or an LWB Scorpio/Safari for the PM. If the US can have custom built cars for its president, so can we.

Let me remind you that in the 80's, the money our great ministers spent on sending each Ambassador to the UK, getting them bulletproofed, then air-conditioned completely overhauled, adding the Isuzu engine etc., was much more than the cost of an imported bullet proof Mercedes. Nothing can be a greater waste of the country's resources and money.

Anyway, I think the Safari, Scorpio and Fortuner can be bulletproofed in India, but when we already have BMWs and Mercs doing their jobs pretty well, why bother??? Besides, Scorpio, Safari, Manza and the likes are used by below-secretary level officials!

Back to the topic, I believe there might be reason for Calcuttites to rejoice. Why?? City taxis with Leather upholstery and power windows!!!!
No govt. department even bothers about thinking of buying an Amby. The SX4, Fiesta, DZire, Accent, Indigo, etc. have long replaced the Amby.

I don't see why HM has to flog a dead horse half heartedly. It would be wise of them if they work on developing a low cost Lancer for 5.5-6 lakh.