Would you believe that it's a quarter century since the launch of the ill-fated Austin Ambassador. PAUL GUINNESS couldn't either, and simply had to celebrate the fact...
From an article that appeared in the April 2007 issue of Classic Car Mart.
Silver jubilee special
Can you believe it’s 25 years this month since the Austin Ambassador – successor to the controversial Princess – first hit the streets? Yes, it was back in March 1982 that Austin Rover Group unveiled its new Ambassador, a heavily revamped and restyled derivative of the Princess that brought extra value and a very distinctive look to the family car market of the early Eighties.
Sadly, though, you won’t have seen any major celebrations for the Ambassador’s all-important anniversary. In fact, as far as most classic car enthusiasts in the UK are concerned, the Ambassador is long forgotten; and for enthusiasts in mainland Europe and beyond, it was a model that wasn’t even offered to them.
Yes, the Ambassador was the first – and only – car from its parent company to be built solely in right-hand drive guise. This was very much a stopgap model until the arrival of the crucial new Montego range in 1984, which meant it simply wasn’t worthwhile for Austin Rover to tool up for left-hand drive production. Even so, despite such a major handicap, the Ambassador went on to achieve a reasonably healthy 43,427 domestic sales in just under two years.
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...as far as most classic car enthusiasts in the UK are concerned, the Ambassador is long forgotten... |
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Although the Ambassador retained the Princess’ wedge-shaped profile, the only body panels to be carried over unchanged from its predecessor were – according to Austin Rover – the front door skins. Everything else was either new or substantially altered, which meant it was a far more thorough redesign than the Marina’s earlier makeover to create the Ital. Even so, many buyers saw the age of the Ambassador’s basic design and chose to shop elsewhere instead.
It was a shame, because the Ambassador had a great deal to offer, not least an incredibly commodious interior – aided (at last) by a huge tailgate for true five-door versatility. Engines were the same 1.7- and 2.0-litre O-series four-cylinder units used in the Princess 2, although the slow-selling 2.2-litre E-series was finally dropped.
The Ambassador may not have been the most handsome car in its class, but it was one of the most distinctive. And as a short-term model to keep things ticking over within Austin Rover’s rapidly ageing line-up, it did a perfectly respectable job.
How sad then, that not only is it a rare sight on Britain’s roads, but the Ambassador is also a real scarcity at our classic car shows each summer. So may we be probably the only classic car magazine in the UK to wish the Austin Ambassador a very Happy 25th Birthday. Long may the few remaining survivors stay around!
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Please let us know your thoughts - What do you think about the Austin Ambassador?
Feedback:
I'm sorry, but the Ambassador was pretty horrible. The Princess had been a distinctive car which could (and should) have had a hatchback earlier in its life (Crayford built some) but the Ambassador threw away too many of the better bits of the Princess (the style and the smooth E6 engine, for example) and ended up as a bland motor car with a relatively unrefined engine. Maybe if they had spent some more money (which they didn't have) and had made it into a new Wolseley, with a nicer interior, we might have seen something worthwhile; but the end result was a classic wasted opportunity.
I've told the story before about my attendance at an Ambassador styling clinic (I sneaked in with my father's invite - he was a loyal Princess customer). I think it fair to say that we were all pretty underwhelmed; the 'new' car looked non-descript, cheap and nasty. And the changes they ended up making to the panelwork, despite an edict to keep the doors and side apertures similar to the Princess, meant they might have well changed more than they did. Where have we heard that story before? Of course some attributes - the space and the ride - remained, and some of the Princess's faults were fixed. But for me, the Ambassador was a low point.
There is a gold one sitting on a driveway just round the corner from where I live. It is not loved and is slowly sinking into the driveway, doubtless to the consternation of the neighbours. I don't see it surviving many more years, but if someone really wants to rescue it (assuming the owner may contemplate selling it) then as an advocate for underdogs, I'll happily let you know where to find it. But give me a Reynard metallic Wolseley Wedge any day... for me, that was Austin Morris at its best.
DAVID KNOWLES
WAS the Ambassador
styling team also responsible for the ugly and awkward Montego? The 'Princess
with a hatch' may have had limited appeal to the Cavalier/Sierra rep market,
but it had neat styling.
Yes, it should have been released around 1977 -- Princess mid-term facelift time -- but cash-strapped BL did a marvellous job for £40m, changing nearly every body panel, creating a six light car and revamping the interior. It's just a shame it was too little, too late.
MIKE GOY
Thanks to Paul Guinness