Driving an Ambassador

Amidst the growing aspirations for speed, fun and style I got to drive an Ambassador car yesterday. This was one of the top end models the company is producing. To tell you frankly, till two months back, I wasn’t aware that company is producing mind-boggling number of cars (1000 a month to be precise) still. I thought they had long closed the shop.

The ‘white elephant’, the first thought that came to my mind when I opened the door lock of the brand new car standing in our garage. The overall height was almost matching my own and the generous curvature of the roof dome enhanced the feeling its large presence. Door opens on pulling the handle towards you, rather than the nudge which most of the cars need (some don’t even need that).

Roof is solid iron. My current car is not even half as solid. If I thump it on top, I am sure my current car (Ford) is likely to get a dent. But here, this solid one piece deep-forged roof is tough enough to bear a few rolls of the car without blinking. I had heard people saying that Ambassador is solid but never got to to check that fact.

For most of the people in India, collapsible parts in the car or crush-zones or airbags have no or little meaning. They think that all these things are meant for the western countries where you drive at 80-100 km an hour on the city roads. Here in India, where traffic literally crawls, Ambassador’s solid construction inspires a better ‘sense of safety’ as no car can afford to harm it.

Anyways, when I took it out on road, I felt that I am sitting much higher than many other car drivers. Higher seating gives a sense of command and poise bordering road arrogance which only costly SUVs exude. Streamlined, foreign built, ground kissing cars which cost a fortune actually appear fragile and ‘char din ka chand’ to an Indian eye. I did manage to get some curious glances at the car. In city of Pune, where this car is almost extinct, a normal guy driving a brand new Ambassador is bit of an oddity.

I had imagined that since the shape has not changed for last 50 years, the pick-up and the rev of the car would be ancient at best. But, to my surprise, engine is powerful and pick-up was not something I should complain about, though the accelerator pedal seems to have issues. It almost behaved like the one on the truck.

Taking U-turn on the road was likely to be a test for the maneuverability of the car. And while doing that, I was thinking of my parking space at home, which requires me to slot the car in a tight spot in reverse. However, to my surprise both the tasks did not pose any greater challenge that my current car.

High head-room did give a feeling of great comfort. Anything that provides more breathing space and extra air-buffer is welcome in these polluted cities. While small car or no car does strike some chord in my head, yet come to think of it who wants to deny a luxury of little more space?
One of the thing strikes me is that for driving a larger vehicle don’t we expect certain heavier action anyways? Some things should rather be slower and not try to compete with the suave and nifty new age cars. Ford is known for its power steering which gives a realistic and not super-natural feel. Hyundai on the other hand, does vice-versa. I would rather expect something on the Ford side for this car. Race today is not towards the fastest, but towards to the most elegant as well. For this mid-aged elegance, I am sure there would be more younger suitors than I can imagine!

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