"tapzz" (tapzz)
05/25/2014 at 10:20 • Filed to: Hindustan Ambassador
0
0|
"tapzz" (tapzz)
05/25/2014 at 10:20 • Filed to: Hindustan Ambassador | 0
| 0 |
We are gathered here today to mourn the passing of what was the world's oldest continuously produced car, India's Amby . Its passing was not wholly unexpected after a loooooong and eventful life.
The progeny of the 1955 Morris Oxford series III first trundled off the production line in Uttarpara, Kolkata, in the state of West Bengal in 1957, and has been in production there ever since. Over those years, the car remained essentially the same until the early '90s, after which a new Isuzu engine and tranny replaced the old BMC 'b' series engine. Some further tweakery ensued around the turn of the millennium, with some abortive and hilarious attempts at updating the styling.
Now, however, the end has come, which Hindustan motors blames on
worsening conditions at its Uttarpara plant which include very low productivity, growing indiscipline, critical shortage of funds, lack of demand for its core product the Ambassador and large accumulation of liabilities
Ouch. It can't have helped that India's Congress party elite, long the most visible Amby owners, are out of power now, and taxi drivers, the other large customer base, have had to look for other wheels in the face of tighter emission regulations.
Rust in peace, oh hooptiest of jalopies.
Source: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!