1959 HINDUSTAN Ambassador 1.5L D 4MT RWD (37 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The Hindustan Ambassador was a licensed-based Morris Oxford, and its carmaker didn’t consider it was necessary to upgrade it or change it into a new model.

While the regular cars had a regular lifespan of eight years, the Hindustan Ambassador broke the rules and was manufactured for almost six decades. And it wasn’t just the nameplate that was carried over from one generation to another. No. It was the same vehicle designed in the late ’50s, but with a few styling changes.

It is hard to believe that a car like that was still manufactured in 2014. Yet, the round headlights and the metallic grille survived the test of time. Its rounded shapes of the ’50s continued to fill the Indian roads into the new millennium. On its sides, a trendy (in the ’50s) line enhanced the rear quarter panels’ look. At least, it had a curved windshield.

Hindustan updated the interior several times, and it featured a plastic dashboard that replaced the older, metallic one. Its dials and gauges were spread inside the instrument cluster with black plastic rims around the gauges. The Ambassador provided up to six seats, with a bench in the front and a floor-mounted gear-stick.

Under the hood, Hindustan introduced new engines and dropped the older, 1.5-liter carbureted unit. It offered a fuel-injected gasoline unit and a choice of two diesel versions. Last but not least, the carmaker installed a 5-speed manual gearbox.