Hindustan Ambassador is an automobile manufactured by Hindustan Motors of India from 1957 to 2014, with improvements and changes over its production lifetime.
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20 Facts About Hindustan Ambassador
2.
The Ambassador was based on the Morris Oxford series III model, first made by Morris Motors Limited at Cowley, Oxford in the United Kingdom from 1956 to 1959.
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3.
Hindustan Ambassador was basically the same Morris Oxford Series - III, launched by Morris, then a part of British Motor Corporation.
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4.
Political influence of the Birla family helped ensure that the Hindustan Ambassador was one of the few cars that were in production following the 1954 government policy of promoting indigenous Automobile industry.
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5.
The Hindustan Ambassador remained dominant in the official and company sectors, while popular as a taxi, but private motorists gradually abandoned the "Amby" in the 1980s and 1990s.
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6.
Hindustan Ambassador remained in continuous production from its inception, with very few improvements or changes.
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7.
Hindustan Ambassador Motors was the only manufacturing facility in the world to manufacture parts for the obsolete Bedford trucks.
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8.
Sale of Hindustan Ambassador taxis has been outlawed since 1 April 2011, a year after BS IV emission standards were rolled out in 11 Indian cities, including Kolkata.
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9.
In later years, Hindustan Ambassador Motors fitted the cars with a cleaner diesel engine in order to comply with new emission rules, allowing it to resume taxi service in Kolkata, one of the cities in which the vehicle had been banned.
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10.
In January 1962, the Hindustan Ambassador underwent a frontal facelift with a closely chequered grille more reminiscent of the Morris Mini.
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11.
In 1979, the Hindustan Ambassador's front underwent a major facelift departing from the flatter design of the 1950s which was retained till its end in 2014.
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12.
The Hindustan Ambassador has emerged as the car mass-produced for the longest period, with minimal design changes, on the same assembly line in the whole world until 2014.
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13.
The Hindustan Ambassador still remained the principal family car of choice in the middle segment in spite being a pre-modern design with dated styling.
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14.
Hindustan Ambassador earmarked for a major upgrade for its mechanical and power plant systems, creating a model later launched as Nova.
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15.
The Hindustan Ambassador Nova received a newly designed steering wheel, new steering column, better brakes and electricals.
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16.
The 1500 diesel engine, the main seller for Hindustan Ambassador, did not pass Bharat IV emissions and as of 2011 it was no longer allowed to be sold in 13 of India's major cities.
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17.
Hindustan Ambassador Grand was launched in 2003 and as per the manufacturer, the new version had 137 changes compared to its predecessor.
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18.
Hindustan Ambassador was claimed to be the best taxi in the world by Top Gear in Episode 2 of their 20th Series.
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19.
Hindustan Ambassador has attained a legendary status in India after being out of production since 2013.
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20.
Hindustan Ambassador is touted as a future classic by many automobile journalists.
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