The Austin Ambassador is a large family car introduced by the Austin Rover Group subsidiary of British Leyland in March 1982. The vehicle was a heavily updated version of the Princess, a saloon car that had lacked a hatchback.
Austin Ambassador at a glance
| Introduced | March 1982; discontinued in 1984 |
|---|---|
| Built | 43,427 |
| Engines | four-cylinder only: 1.7 L (82 hp at 5,200 rpm) and 2.0 L (92 hp at 4,900 rpm); twin-carburettor 2.0 L 100 hp, 163 N·m |
| Trims | L, HL, HLS and Vanden Plas |
| Gearbox | four-speed manual or automatic |
| Steering side | right-hand drive only |
| Left in use | 14 taxed on British roads in 2023 |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only (a trusted source), so the facts were not cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Austin Ambassador
The Ambassador was, according to one company manager, the car “the Princess should have been right from the word go”. British Leyland changed the name to underscore the depth of the changes: only the doors and inner structure were carried over, but the wedge-shaped side profile betrayed the Princess origins, and buyers did not consider it a truly new model. The Princess had been out of production for four months by the time the Ambassador went on sale.
Somewhat bridging the gap between the smaller Morris Ital and the Rover SD1, sales were low and the model was discontinued in 1984 with 43,427 cars built.
Design
Unlike the Princess, a six-cylinder 2.2-litre version was not available; the Ambassador was offered only as a four-cylinder, initially with a 1.7- or 2.0-litre engine in L, HL, HLS and Vanden Plas trims. The single-carburettor 1.7 generated 82 hp and the 2.0-litre 92 hp. In the HLS and Vanden Plas trims the Ambassador had a twin-carburettor 2.0-litre engine that replaced the earlier six and gave 100 hp, with 163 N·m of torque; in 1983 the 2.0-litre HL was upgraded to use it too. Not having to fit the taller E6 engine meant the bonnet could be lower and flatter, though the wipers were no longer concealed. A four-speed manual (and automatic) were the only transmissions; commentators cited the lack of a fifth gear as one of the car’s drawbacks. Prototypes were built in left-hand drive, but production cars were right-hand drive only and not exported to continental Europe.
Design and features
- Engines: four-cylinder 1.7 and 2.0 L engines.
- Body: a hatchback built on the Princess’s doors and inner structure.
- Gearbox: four-speed manual or automatic; no fifth gear.
Austin Ambassador versions
- Ambassador L, HL, HLS and Vanden Plas: the trims, 1982–1984.
More Austin cars are in our Austin collection, for example the Princess it was based on, the Maxi, the other Austin hatchback, and the Maestro.
Austin Ambassador questions and answers
When was the Austin Ambassador sold?
From March 1982 to 1984.
What was it based on?
The Princess, with new styling, a hatchback and a lower bonnet.
What engines did it have?
1.7 and 2.0 L four-cylinders, 82 to 100 hp.
How many were made?
43,427.
Was it exported?
No: only right-hand drive was built, so it was not exported to continental Europe.
Video: 1983 Austin Ambassador Vanden Plas
Video by The Cleaners Cupboard on YouTube.
Sources
- Austin Ambassador, English Wikipedia: design and history
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