- Business
- Hindustan Motors Limited manufactures passenger cars, light commercial vehicles and automotive components in India. The company produces the iconic Ambassador car in 1500 and 2000 cc diesel, 1800 cc petrol, CNG and LPG variants; the 1-tonne payload Winner mini-truck in 2000 cc diesel and CNG models; Contessa cars; electric vehicles including Piaggio Ape E City and Ape E Extra; and auto components such as grey iron, SG iron, steel and aluminum pressure die castings. It offers engineering services, manufacturing engineering, automotive solutions and maintenance for its vehicle lineup.
Founded in 1942 by B.M. Birla and headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal, Hindustan Motors operates manufacturing plants in Uttarpara, West Bengal; Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh; and previously in Tiruvallur near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The Uttarpara facility, India's first integrated automobile plant established in 1948, includes press shop, forge shop, foundry, machine shop and assembly units for engines and axles. The company serves domestic markets with a focus on passenger and commercial vehicles while maintaining past collaborations such as with Isuzu for trucks and engines, Mitsubishi for models including Pajero, Lancer and Outlander, and General Motors for Opel vehicles.
In recent developments, Hindustan Motors sold the Ambassador brand and trademarks to PSA Group (now Stellantis) in February 2017 for ₹80 crore under two joint venture agreements, with PSA utilizing the Chennai plant for Citroën vehicles, engines and parts; a new Ambassador model rollout was anticipated in December 2024. The company sold the Contessa brand to SG Corporate Mobility and entered a memorandum of understanding for electric vehicle exports and potential assembly with an overseas partner, alongside initial talks for a joint venture with a European firm to produce electric two-wheelers and four-wheelers. Operations at the Uttarpara plant remain suspended since 2014 due to low productivity and funding issues, prompting efforts to secure strategic partners, restructure manpower and monetize assets.