Why is the Ambassador even still around?

Sunday morning work - get into a crazy idea and develop it. Here's today's thought -

Just checked the top model of HM Ambassador the Avigo 2000 DSZ. The features are so pedestrian, one cannot even begin to describe! So to help us all, I did some comparison - Chose another sedan, from an INDIAN manufacturer, with a variant with the same fuel type and costing Rs. 20k less than the geriatric Avigo - Here's the result!

Now just look at the apple to apple comparison - the Avigo is so pathetic on all counts, The only parameter I could find for Avigo was the fuel tank size   (54 vs. 44) !!

This being the case, why is HM even producing this dinosaur? Who eggs them on, and how the heck they don't go under with such outdated offering? And the audacity to price it higher than comparable vehicles in the market... It all looks absurd !

Would like your esteemed opinion. Thanks in advance!

The only good thing about the Ambassador is its rear-seat comfort, leg-room and head-room. It is a most preferred car as a taxi in rural areas as this can handle pathetic road condition. But this is not a driver’s car.

 

Beside demand in rural area, I found lots of Ambassador in Kolkata, not sure why?

Manza is better in wheel base, so legroom should technically be better there,  considering the long boot of Ambassador.

As far as handling pathetic road conditions is concerned, Manza seems to be having a better ground clearance.

Still confused!!

As far as Kolkata is concerned, may be there are some local taxes advantages (need to check comparing Kolkata on road price with rest of the world though).

Ambassador, as we all know, is the oldest automobile brand in India – more than 50 years old.  Its shape/size has virtually remained unchanged, and so is the space/comfort it offers.  Interiors/features have, however, improved – though it could never match the others (newer ones).

This is the car I first tried my hands on – in the middle of the night

It was very popular till Indica came on roads.  It is still loved & admired by many.  Delhi politicians cannot move without it.  Many Government Offices still prefer it.  That’s what has probably kept it alive all these years.  But I feel it has now/finally approached its end; end of its overstretched life.

Honesty is not a Spare Wheel that you pull out when in trouble. It's a Steering Wheel that keeps you on the right path throughout the life's journey.

ambassador used to have its own cult..just like premier padmini ,there were people who used to swear upon their ambies.but that was in early 90s.slowly maruti 800 even though a small car ,started gripping the markets with its improvements and modifications.HM never did that.They were happy selling ambies to Babus with red/blue light on top.Soon even government chopped ambies from their fleets with maruti 1000 and esteem enetering into markets.yet HM didnt bother.

now with such a huge competition in market,it is difficult to catagoerise amby,not sure if it is a sedan or even a hatchback.it has its own catagoery i think.

they are still floating their Amby on the money they get from marketing Mitsubhishi cars.Mitsubhishi is not keen on flooding Indian market with the cars which have been setting trends all over the world.i wonder why.thats why they rely on HM for the marketing and selling.

HM now is thinking of rising back in markets.But the global recession has put a halt on their plans.They were seriously thinking of modifying and improve Amby with various features,so it can match the current competition.But temporarily they have put plans on hold.they have been keeping a good track with customers who bought avigo and are always asking for  the feedback.My friend has one for his company,the running is not much and so far he is ok with it and bought it just because some of his clients love the old amby and he has lot of money to satisfy such whims . but he told me about HM plans and is very glad about the feedback they keep asking for.you never know ,in the coming years we might see a new amby and it would be fun to see it race with the likes of dezires and manzas...they will be getting all the technical support from mitsubhishi which is a great news afterall.

The Ambassador to India is like the beetle (Volkswagen) to the western world.

Sujit Ambassador in Kolkata, is taxi similar to fiat taxi in mumbai.I guess its big tyres keep it still around.Have tavelled in that while going with my dad when he went to drill site the dirtest place with very bad road were these have ver less diffecults in traveling.

Everybody wants to ride with you in the Limo, but what you need it somebody who will take the bus with you when the Limo breaks down - Oprah Winfrey

Krishna

Have a look at this comparison:

http://www.carwale.com/research/comparecars/carcomparison.aspx?car1=1622&car2=1001

Here the Avigo costs a bit less - with the engine specs appearing somewhat better than the Avigo in the comparison you gave...

In my personal opinion, I don't think Amby or Avigo are bad at all - just that they're still "old world". If only HM would get a better engine (or better P/W ratio) into the car and tweak the suspension/gearbox a bit I see no reason why it cannot have the retro look with performance at par or close to the modern cars (not race car like but definitely for passenger car use). Look at the engine: its 1.8L compared to Manza's 1.2L but the power o/p is quite low in comparison to Manza's - I guess that's because of the older tech engine in Amby/Avigo.

And yes, HM has to market it better for the general public to notice it...

S = k.I^2, where S is the amount of stupidity a species possesses, I is the intelligence the species has and k is the universal constant of stupidity.

I think, most of the guys from country side do prefer Ambassador. In fact, I have also noticed most of the minsisters / MLAs / MPs having at least one Ambassador, though they have other latest model cars. It is still one of the strongest cars in indian market (differs from person to person).


Gerald Leslie Jones.

He he Rohit, you dummy - comparing apples with oranges? - The avigo variant you list is MPFI, against a Manza QJD!!

I agree with the spirit of what you say, except saying they are not bad but 'old world'. Yes, there would be buyers that would pay more to buy a Ford Model T than a Ford Endeavour, but that does not mean the Model T is still 'good'. At least Ford does not offer one to be sold next to the Endeavour with a straight face!  It is the equivalent of this which is happening with Amby, and that is curious, to say the least.