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The iconic Ambassador car is now on show at Washington's Smithsonian gallery - for six
months. For 45 years, this "well-rounded lady" has been a beloved mainstay on our
roads. A chronological look at an Indian classic :
1957 : The first Ambassador, modelled on the Morris
Oxford, takes to the roads.
1963 : Buoyed by popularity, the second version - Mark II - appears.
1975 : First exports: seven cars to South America and
Mauritius. And the Mark III is launched.
1993 : Hindustan Motors fires up the Old Lady with a powerful 1800cc Isuzu engine.
1999 : Hindustan Motors pumps in Rs 70 crore to give a facelift to the dowdy old
lady. Result : Ambassador Classic.
2002 : London businessman Tobias Moss runs a fleet of customised Ambys at Euro 40 an
hour, the most expensive cabs in UK.
A Retro Ambassador prototype is showcased at the Auto Expo, and
20,000 visitors are asked about car's greatest attribute. 90
percent say : "the emotional connect".
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