2009 Ambassador Grand BS-3 2.0 Turbo Diesel and 1800 ISZ MPFI: Test drive and review

nitrous · 22nd June 2009, 18:02

The Petrol engine's air filter tells me it is a Throttle body Injection type.
Can someone confirm?

Jaggu · 22nd June 2009, 18:08

The quality has improved alot, after having one look inside the engine bay! May not be nothing compared to the Toyota's and Honda's of the world but i do observe a sea change.

How i wish Fiat launch the S2 now

sidindica · 22nd June 2009, 18:10

a request to mods: kindly align my posts one after the another and then the comments

sandeep.mishra · 22nd June 2009, 18:18

Hi Sid....a comprehensive review of the Amby. Despite the Amby not being able to catch up with its modern siblings, its a car which is supremely comfortable at the back seat. Whatever build quality that it comes with, it never stops or conks out on the road, the AC is effective in todays 43.5 degrees temperature and reminds u "The days of Raj" (I happen to be a frequent user of an Amby Grande by virtue of my dad being in the GOI). I especially use/misuse it when I have to get to a crowded area where parking is a headache. The Thulla always compromises and doesnt challan the Amby. These are the plus points of an Amby which are to be cherished...! I have had so much of Amby hangover since my childhood that I stopped my Dad from getting a brand new Accent/Indigo alloted to him (These days the GOI is giving Accent and Amby to its senior officers). Jai ho Amby

shantyrocks · 22nd June 2009, 18:24

great job once again sid!

the amby still looks like a royal car but best suited for babus now.
iv travelled a lot as a kid in the amby and back then i just loved it for its sofa like seats and comfort.

Ramsagar · 23rd June 2009, 10:31

ohhh!!! Remembering our old Mark-2 abmy petrol one of childhood days.
Sitting in the lap of my grandpa & wheeling the car in the kachha roads, with the fan making whining noise on the dash, while the Radio plays of those serial stories.
What a memorable movements it was

Lots of improvements from the old one.

Power steering
AC
Music system
Handbrake
Parking lights button
Head lamp leveling switch
Wiper controls
Center gear box control
Inside door opening lever
Food tray
Brake light indicator
Beige tone interiors.
Seat belts
Power windows
Indicator stalks.
Warning!!! It also a mobile charger.

Did any one know the price of both petrol & diesel?

GTO · 23rd June 2009, 10:39

Excellently compiled, it is refreshing to see such a detailed review on an old school machine.

The Amby has been able to march along only due to orders from the babus. Lately however, most of them have moved on to the Fiesta, yet others to the Accent (and Esteem before that)!! They must be nuts, neither of those cars come close to the Amby's back seat comfort. I can understand migrating to an Indigo XL or even a Logan from the Ambassador, but a Fiesta / Accent!

Dippy · 23rd June 2009, 10:53

A fantastic review sid. You always seem to come up with something different everytime. It was a bit of nostalgia reading your review. There is nothing that comes close to that rear seat in any car we see on the Indian roads today (I'm not talking about S Classes and 7s)

.

Though the car has a more modern and plasticky dash, I still love the old school dashboard which came in the old Mark models. Nice additions to keep up with the times though.

What next, a common rail diesel?

beejay · 23rd June 2009, 10:54

Good review Sid, I fail to understand why beige is preferred over black. Black and grey interiors are easy to maintain and do not age as quick as beige.

The seats are the best on the Amby, they look like a couch.

musicmanaman · 23rd June 2009, 12:04

Fantastic Review Sid !!!.

One question that I would like to ask you is that, if you had to pick one from the petrol and the TCIC, which one would you choose.

sidindica · 23rd June 2009, 12:22

petrol, simply because it is smooth and has decnt pickup. Diesel vibrates like hell at high speeds, even with the addition of a turbo. If not noisy, then diesel. After all, the old 51bhp diesel engine had 10.8 kg-m of torque and this new turbo increases bhp to 74 and torque by 60% to 16.3 kg-m.

Next review:L-ion.

Aditya · 23rd June 2009, 12:59

Always go for the petrol Isuzu. Wonderful engine with a bucket load of torque. It never goes wrong as long as it is serviced at its regular intervals. After all these years, my Conti's engine is still super smooth. Sounds great too.

aadix · 23rd June 2009, 14:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidindica

Next review:L-ion.

whats that? some kind of e.v?

theMAG · 23rd June 2009, 15:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by aadix

whats that? some kind of e.v?

Yup. Its actually Li-ion. Reva.

anjan_c2007 · 23rd June 2009, 19:52

sidindica- Nice information and a very welcome change for the great Amby to feature here, in this section after a long time. People treat the Amby as a pensioner and as a senior citizen, who can be just left to reminisce the good ol' times and not the current or future times.
But the turbocharger and the engine upgrades for the ISZ 1800 and ISZ 2000DSL prove it once again that the Grand Ol' Lady, the Pride of India, the National Car of India,the Car that has made motoring history for India, is here to stay on and face competition from all the new generation plasticky cars.
In fact Classics Monthly, UK in its May 2007 issue has stated that the Ambassador has internationally beaten all other cars including the VW Beetle, as the car that is being manufactured as a single model, from the same assembly line for 50 years- LONGEST PRODUCTION RUN OF THE SAME MODEL FROM THE SAME ASSEMBLY LINE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!
LONG LIVE THE AMBASSADOR!!

22nd June 2009, 18:02	#16
nitrous Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: UAE/Lon/Madras Posts: 6,965 Thanked: 333 Times View My Garage	The Petrol engine's air filter tells me it is a Throttle body Injection type. Can someone confirm?
	() Thanks

22nd June 2009, 18:08	#17
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,384 Thanked: 17,299 Times	The quality has improved alot, after having one look inside the engine bay! May not be nothing compared to the Toyota's and Honda's of the world but i do observe a sea change. How i wish Fiat launch the S2 now
	(1) Thanks

22nd June 2009, 18:10	#18
sidindica Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 4,902 Thanked: 8,348 Times	a request to mods: kindly align my posts one after the another and then the comments
	() Thanks

22nd June 2009, 18:18	#19
sandeep.mishra BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 88 Thanked: 4 Times	Hi Sid....a comprehensive review of the Amby. Despite the Amby not being able to catch up with its modern siblings, its a car which is supremely comfortable at the back seat. Whatever build quality that it comes with, it never stops or conks out on the road, the AC is effective in todays 43.5 degrees temperature and reminds u "The days of Raj" (I happen to be a frequent user of an Amby Grande by virtue of my dad being in the GOI). I especially use/misuse it when I have to get to a crowded area where parking is a headache. The Thulla always compromises and doesnt challan the Amby. These are the plus points of an Amby which are to be cherished...! I have had so much of Amby hangover since my childhood that I stopped my Dad from getting a brand new Accent/Indigo alloted to him (These days the GOI is giving Accent and Amby to its senior officers). Jai ho Amby
	() Thanks

22nd June 2009, 18:24	#20
shantyrocks BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: thane Posts: 741 Thanked: 6 Times	great job once again sid! the amby still looks like a royal car but best suited for babus now. iv travelled a lot as a kid in the amby and back then i just loved it for its sofa like seats and comfort.
	() Thanks

23rd June 2009, 10:31	#21
Ramsagar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: BLR_Nellore(AP) Posts: 1,398 Thanked: 255 Times View My Garage	ohhh!!! Remembering our old Mark-2 abmy petrol one of childhood days. Sitting in the lap of my grandpa & wheeling the car in the kachha roads, with the fan making whining noise on the dash, while the Radio plays of those serial stories. What a memorable movements it was Lots of improvements from the old one. Power steering AC Music system Handbrake Parking lights button Head lamp leveling switch Wiper controls Center gear box control Inside door opening lever Food tray Brake light indicator Beige tone interiors. Seat belts Power windows Indicator stalks. Warning!!! It also a mobile charger. Did any one know the price of both petrol & diesel?
	() Thanks

23rd June 2009, 10:39	#22
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 71,944 Thanked: 322,281 Times View My Garage	Excellently compiled, it is refreshing to see such a detailed review on an old school machine. The Amby has been able to march along only due to orders from the babus. Lately however, most of them have moved on to the Fiesta, yet others to the Accent (and Esteem before that)!! They must be nuts, neither of those cars come close to the Amby's back seat comfort. I can understand migrating to an Indigo XL or even a Logan from the Ambassador, but a Fiesta / Accent!
	() Thanks

23rd June 2009, 10:53	#23
Dippy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 7,761 Thanked: 4,240 Times	A fantastic review sid. You always seem to come up with something different everytime. It was a bit of nostalgia reading your review. There is nothing that comes close to that rear seat in any car we see on the Indian roads today (I'm not talking about S Classes and 7s) . Though the car has a more modern and plasticky dash, I still love the old school dashboard which came in the old Mark models. Nice additions to keep up with the times though. What next, a common rail diesel?
	() Thanks

23rd June 2009, 10:54	#24
beejay Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: The Nilgiris Posts: 1,977 Thanked: 219 Times View My Garage	Good review Sid, I fail to understand why beige is preferred over black. Black and grey interiors are easy to maintain and do not age as quick as beige. The seats are the best on the Amby, they look like a couch.
	() Thanks

23rd June 2009, 12:04	#25
musicmanaman BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: kolkata Posts: 927 Thanked: 25 Times	Fantastic Review Sid !!!. One question that I would like to ask you is that, if you had to pick one from the petrol and the TCIC, which one would you choose.
	() Thanks

23rd June 2009, 12:22	#26
sidindica Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 4,902 Thanked: 8,348 Times	petrol, simply because it is smooth and has decnt pickup. Diesel vibrates like hell at high speeds, even with the addition of a turbo. If not noisy, then diesel. After all, the old 51bhp diesel engine had 10.8 kg-m of torque and this new turbo increases bhp to 74 and torque by 60% to 16.3 kg-m. Next review:L-ion.
	() Thanks

23rd June 2009, 12:59	#27
Aditya Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 20,089 Thanked: 86,544 Times View My Garage	Always go for the petrol Isuzu. Wonderful engine with a bucket load of torque. It never goes wrong as long as it is serviced at its regular intervals. After all these years, my Conti's engine is still super smooth. Sounds great too.
	() Thanks

23rd June 2009, 19:52	#30
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,708 Thanked: 22,855 Times View My Garage	sidindica- Nice information and a very welcome change for the great Amby to feature here, in this section after a long time. People treat the Amby as a pensioner and as a senior citizen, who can be just left to reminisce the good ol' times and not the current or future times. But the turbocharger and the engine upgrades for the ISZ 1800 and ISZ 2000DSL prove it once again that the Grand Ol' Lady, the Pride of India, the National Car of India,the Car that has made motoring history for India, is here to stay on and face competition from all the new generation plasticky cars. In fact Classics Monthly, UK in its May 2007 issue has stated that the Ambassador has internationally beaten all other cars including the VW Beetle, as the car that is being manufactured as a single model, from the same assembly line for 50 years- LONGEST PRODUCTION RUN OF THE SAME MODEL FROM THE SAME ASSEMBLY LINE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! LONG LIVE THE AMBASSADOR!! Last edited by anjan_c2007 : 23rd June 2009 at 19:54.
	() Thanks