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www.leylandprincess.co.uk
NEW OPENINGS Launched in March
1982, and with changes to the Princess radical enough to warrant a name
change, the Austin Ambassador really was a last ditch attempt to answer all
the criticisms of the Princess. Most importantly, it was at last available
with a rear hatchback, something the car buying public had been crying out
for since 1975. The new car now sported an unintentional Austin-Morris
corporate look similar to the new Austin Metro and Morris Ital, (the Allegro
and Maxi were also still in the price lists!) and the new lower bonnet line
was possible due to the deletion of the E6 2200 engine - the 100bhp twin
carburettor 2-litre O-Series now being the most powerful unit. The lack of a tailgate in the Princess was seen as a major drawback, but the other major weakness of the Princess - that of its performance - still wasn’t properly addressed with the Ambassador. The Ambassador was certainly more versatile and had much better packaging than its forebear but it was no performance car when compared with its rivals. Nevertheless, Autocar - though under whelmed by its performance - were enthusiastic about the Ambassador and gave it the thumbs up; their road test of 10th April 1982 said of the 2.0HL, “The Ambassador’s strengths are its ride, good (for most people) seating, its frugal-for-two-litres economy, all for a very good price, which makes it exceptional value for money.” The
Ambassador was competitively priced when launched; £5106 would get you and
entry level 1.7L, whilst £8500 would see you in a Vanden Plas, but it would
also buy you a Ford Sierra 2.0 Ghia, which was the family car to be seen driving in 1983. And if you wanted
performance and versatility then
the storming hatchback Vauxhall Cavalier 1800SRi was an absolute bargain at
some £500 less than a VP Ambassador. This modern,
stiff competition meant that the Ambassador never reached the sales targets
Austin-Morris had hoped for and only 43,427 were sold during its two-year
production run - not a disaster but hardly a success. The Ambassador
can best be summed up as the car the Princess always could have been. Like
the Princess, the Ambassador was more or less left to its own devices and no
effort was made by Austin-Morris to spice up the range, leaving Ford and
Vauxhall the niche markets to themselves. Add to that its watered down
Princess styling in lieu of versatility and the combination wasn’t a winning
formula. Austin Morris may have gotten away with the Marina/Ital restyle, but
the typical purchaser in this sector was a little more discerning and for
them, the changes weren’t enough; the competition was simply more interesting
and desirable. The
conventional Austin Maestro and Montego range replaced the Ambassador in
1984. Austin
Ambassador 1.7L 1.7, 2.0HL 2.0HLS VANDEN PLAS The
Ambassador’s front view was smoother and was similar to the Morris Ital, but
the unintentional Austin-Morris corporate look, brought about by designers
having to use Morris Ital headlights meant the character of the original
Princess was lost, and some argue that it was an unnecessary change.
At
last, 5-doors meant the potential of the Princess was fully realised. With
the 13-year-old Austin Maxi about to gasp its last breath it was hoped that
the Ambassador would increase its market share with its newfound versatility.
The top-of-the-range Vanden Plas. Only
available with the 2-litre engine it is identifiable by the standard alloy
wheels, front fog lamps, wider side-rubbing strip and bumpers with bright
capping, along with a bright capping above the front grille. It also sported
VP decals on its rear flanks.
The big news was the large rear tailgate,
allowing access to 54.7 cu ft. of luggage space with the rear seats folded
down. The
seating arrangement was more versatile with the fold down rear backrest but
the quality seems to have suffered, a point now proven, as the material used
on these cars doesn’t seem to have lasted as well as that on older Princess
cars. Electric front windows were now available as was a sunroof and central
locking; the ashtrays were neatly incorporated into the rear door grabs. This
is an HLS interior.
Unfortunately, the drivers view wasn’t so good. This HL shows the
cheap looking 2-tone dash and the nasty steering wheel; even the Vanden Plas
didn’t get a leather bound wheel! And still no rev-counter. Even so, the
ergonomics were an improvement over the Princess, as was the general build
quality.
The
Ambassador’s 2 year production run, and its lack of popularity, means these
cars are quite rare now. Vanden Plas versions are the most desirable. Next page: Ambassador
Development Story This page updated 22nd February 2008. |
