Will Contessa come in a new EV or hybrid avatar?

It seems the once fuel guzzler Contessa is on a return journey but will Hindustan Motors (HM) bring it back in the form of an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid car?

Just a few days back, there was buzz that HM is bringing back the iconic Ambassador in the form of an EV or traditional fuel variants. It now seems that both the Contessa and the Ambassador are seeing rebirth.

The Contessa was once a luxury car in India.

But it will make little sense for HM to bring petrol and diesel versions of the two cars at a time when the central government is going full throttle on electric and hybrid cars in a bid to save the environment.

Or, it could either be a hybrid car or an electric version of the Ambassador and Contessa that we may see hitting the roads, maybe in the next two years.

Just recently, Hindustan Motors, which currently has a pact with Japan’s Mitsubishi, hinted at bringing back the Ambassador.

Director of Hindustan Motors Uttam Bose had told the media that mechanical and design processes for a new engine are at an advanced stage.

According to the company, the new Ambassador may be initially rolled out with petrol and diesel engines. If so, the company has to do a rethink because fuel cars are set to hit a dead end.

Also, this step will not help HM get back into the revival road, after it had shut shop in the year 2014 in Bengal.

The Bengal unit of HM was shut because of indiscipline, funds crunch and lack of demand for its cars.

HM is a company that has not been aggressive enough in innovation and investment. Perhaps because of this, it had to shut its West Bengal unit after it failed to innovate on the Ambassador.

And, if it follows the same policy, travelling a long distance with its cars could become a dream rather than a reality.

The Contessa was discontinued in the Indian market even before the Ambassador.

It had become a fairly popular car since 1984 when it was rolled out but in 2002 it was discontinued. The car was based on the Vauxhall Victor FE Series.

The Contessa had a 1.5-litre BMC B-Series engine that belted out a maximum of 50 PS. Then came a 54 PS version and both of these were with a four-speed transmission.

It is pertinent to note that HM does not hold the right to use the Ambassador name any more. The name is owned by French manufacturer Groupe PSA, which is also called the Stellantis Group.

Peugeot belongs to the Stellantis Group and is owner of the Ambassador brand.

But it is believed that Hind Motor and Peugeot are working on a plan to revive the Ambassador brand in India. This could be followed by the Contessa relaunch.

The Ambassador and Contessa were both iconic cars in their separate segments and we reiterate that unless they come in hybrid or EV forms and if they don’t have any tech marvel, revival of Hindustan Motors could be an uphill task.