Hindustan Motors Limited is one of India’s oldest automobile companies — founded in 1942 and best known for the iconic Ambassador car, a version of the Morris Oxford which became synonymous with post-independence India. Once a dominant force in Indian auto, Hindustan Motors suspended Ambassador production in 2014 and has been largely inactive since. The Ambassador brand was sold to PSA Groupe (now Stellantis) in 2017.
| Full Name | Hindustan Motors Limited |
| Founded | 1942 — Uttarpara, West Bengal |
| Promoter | C.K. Birla Group (Chandrakant Birla family) |
| Listed | BSE: 500500 | NSE: HINDMOTORS |
| Key Product | Ambassador (production suspended 2014) |
| Ambassador Brand | Sold to PSA Groupe / Stellantis — 2017 (₹80 crore) |
Who Owns Hindustan Motors?
Hindustan Motors Limited is controlled by the C.K. Birla Group — the business empire of Chandrakant Birla, a branch of the larger Birla family with diverse businesses including Orient Cement, Orient Electric, GMMCO (Caterpillar), and Birla Tyres. In 2017, Hindustan Motors sold the Ambassador brand name and logo to PSA Groupe (now Stellantis — the group behind Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat) for ₹80 crore. The company remains listed but largely inactive. See also: Mahindra & Mahindra.
History of Hindustan Motors
Hindustan Motors began manufacturing cars in 1948 — making it India’s oldest car manufacturer. The Ambassador (based on Morris Oxford series III, licensed from British Motor Corporation) launched in 1958 and became India’s quintessential vehicle — used by government officials, taxis, and families for decades. India’s closed economy protected the Ambassador from competition until liberalisation in 1991. When Maruti Suzuki arrived in 1983 with modern, fuel-efficient cars, the Ambassador’s slow decline began. By 2014, with just ~2,500 units sold that year, production was suspended. The Ambassador brand was sold to PSA in 2017 for ₹80 crore. PSA has not revived the brand commercially.
