This Hindustan Contessa resto-mod is an attention grabber

The Hindustan Motors Contessa is arguably the most modified old timer in India. The Contessa is known for its muscular car looks and hence is the choice of many enthusiasts. Almost every modified Contessa we have seen till date carries the muscle car look. There are even a few examples where a Contessa was modified so as to look like a Mustang or any other such muscle car. Joining the long list of such modified Contessas is this beautiful example featured below. The car looks striking in its blue and white paint combination.

This Hindustan Motors Contessa belongs to Tibin Varghese, whose Instagram handle is kid_is_old. The Contessa here has received a host of modifications which make it look spectacular. The front end now gets new retro-styled bumpers, along with new aftermarket headlights with corona rings. If you notice, the mod job done on this car is not over the top but has been done in a way so as to enhance the original design. This is what further makes it stand apart from the many other over the top modified Contessa across the country.

It now rides on stylish alloy wheels which match the overall look of the car. The door handles and side mirrors have been given the chrome treatment which makes them look classy. The rear end of the car also receives quite a few changes including new tail lamps and a retro-styled steel bumper. Topping the whole package is the aftermarket sunroof this Contessa has been equipped with. This makes for a bit of the wind in the hair experience while driving this classic beauty.

Talking about the history of the Contessa in India, it was first launched here in 1984 and had a pretty long production run up till 2002 when it was finally discontinued. It was based on the Vauxhall VX series car of 1976 which is the reason for its unique exterior design. Back in the day, the Contessa was positioned as a premium luxury car in the market and was targeted at those who wanted something beyond the regular Ambassador and Padmini that populated the roads. It was priced at around Rs. 4.84 lakh to Rs. 5.42 lakh (Ex-showroom, Delhi), which was a substantial amount in those days.

Hindustan Motors offered a choice between two engine options on the Contessa, one petrol and another diesel. The petrol engine was an 1817 cc, Inline 4 cylinder, SOHC with MPFI, Water cooled, Isuzu 4ZB1 engine that produced 85 HP along with 135 Nm torque. The diesel, on the other hand, was a 1995 cc, Inline 4 cylinder, OHC, Water cooled, Isuzu 4FC1 engine that produced 55 HP along with 107 Nm torque. Both the engines were mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.