Austin Ambassador

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (May 2008)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Austin Ambassador

Manufacturer	British Leyland
Production	1982-1984
Predecessor	Princess
Successor	Austin Montego Rover 600
Class	fullsize car
Body style(s)	4-door hatchback
Engine(s)	1.7 L O-Series Straight-4 2.0 L O-Series Straight-4
Transmission(s)	four speed manual three speed automatic
Wheelbase	105 inches (2670 mm)
Length	179 inches (4550 mm)
Width	69.5 inches (1760 mm)
Height	55 inches (1400 mm)
Curb weight	2784 pounds (1263 kg) unladen

The Austin Ambassador was a medium-to-large hatchback automobile introduced by British Leyland (BL) in 1982. The car was a heavily updated version of the Princess, an ageing model which lacked a hatchback. Only the doors and inner structure were carried over, but the slightly wedge-shaped design betrayed the car's Princess origins, and it was not considered a truly new model.

To some extent a competitor to smaller-engined models of the Austin Rover Group's own Rover SD1, sales were low and the model was discontinued in 1984.

Unlike the Princess, there was no 2.2 litre version; the Ambassador was initially offered in 1.7 litre and 2.0 litre (single carburettor) variants, in "L", "HL" and "HLS" trims. Instead of the previous premium 2.2 litre models, there were the HLS and later Vanden Plas trim levels, both with a twin-carburettor version of the 2.0 litre engine. In 1983, the 2.0 litre HL was upgraded to also use the more powerful twin-carburettor engine.

The Ambassador was built in right hand drive only and thus was never exported.

The Ambassador was discontinued in 1984, with no official replacement. The gap it left in the Austin-Rover range was effectively filled by the slightly smaller Montego, and by the new generation of smaller Rovers.