A Case Study of a Car whose Production has been Wound-Up:Ambassador Car

Abstract

Late Mr. B.M. Birla (cousin of Mr. G.D. Birla) established a company by the name of Hindustan Motors in 1942. After Mr. B.M. Birla, the company was spearheaded by Mr. G.P. Birla, and thereafter, Mr. C.K. Birla was at the helm. Hindustan Motors began manufacturing the Ambassador car (based on UK's Morris Oxford) in West Bengal in 1948. The car plant in West Bengal where Ambassador cars were being manufactured, is supposed to be the first passenger car plant in Asia, outside Japan. Ambassador was perhaps best-suited for the treacherous Indian terrain (in the days of yore) and was the numero uno on India roads till circa mid-1980s after which Maruti Suzuki took over. The Times of India newspaper carried out an article bearing the caption 'End of the Road for Amabassador' in its edition dated May 25, 2014. Industry experts say that HM (Hindustan Motors) company was stuck in time and history and now its history has become a liability. Hindustan Motors is having plants in Uttarpara (West Bengal) and Tiruvallur (Tamil Nadu). This case study lists the cars being manufactured by a few car-manufacturing companies in India and it will help in comprehending why HM had to finally discontinue the manufacture of Ambassador in India.