Hindustan Contessa to make a comeback in India

A few days ago, the rumours of an electric Ambassador making a comeback became garnered a lot of attention. Hindustan Motors has instead registered and trademarked the name “Contessa”, which was another iconic car from the Indian maker. Does it mean that the Contessa and the Ambassador are coming back?

According to MotorBeam, Hindustan Motors has registered the “Contessa” name. With the rumours of Contessa revival already making the headlines, the new trademark will definitely put more fuel in the rumour mills.

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Is Contessa coming back?

A few weeks ago, Hindustan Motors, which currently works with Mitsubishi revealed a plan to bring back the Ambassador. In an interview with TOI, the Director of Hindustan Motors, Uttam Bose said “Mechanical and design work for a new engine has reached an advanced stage”. It suggests that the new Ambassador will be powered by a petrol or a diesel engine initially.

He also added that a new look Ambassador is on its way. However, he did not talk anything about the Contessa. Now, the trademark filed by Hindustan Motors can be an indication that the brand is planning more than one product in the future.

Contessa got discontinued much before the Ambassador in the Indian market. However, the car had a decent run between 1984 when it was introduced and 2002 when the brand pulled the plug on it. Given the muscular design characteristics of the car, it was even considered an Indian “muscle car” by many even though it was not. It only came with a 1.5-litre BMC B-Series engine that could generate a maximum of 50 PS. Later a 54 PS version also arrived. Both of the engine options came powered by a four-speed transmission.

The Contessa was based on the Vauxhall Victor FE Series that was sold in the international markets. The car became a status symbol and made appearances in Indian movies as well.

All in the name

One should know that Hindustan Motors does not hold the right to use the “Ambassador” name anymore. It now belongs to the French manufacturer – Groupe PSA, which is now known as Stellantis Group. Peugeot is part of the Stellantis Group and owns the “Ambassador” brand name.

Interestingly, Hind Motor Financial Corporation of India (HMFCI) and the owner of the “Ambassador” brand – Peugeot S.A. are making a strategy to bring back the iconic name. If it becomes a successful model, we can expect the manufacturer to bring back the Contessa nameplate to the roads as well.

The Ambassador’s name holds a special place in the hearts of Indian automobile enthusiasts. The sedan remained in production for close to six decades, which is the longest run in the history of the Indian automobile.

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