- Business
- Hindustan Motors Limited manufactures and sells vehicles, vehicle spare parts, steel products and components; it provides engineering services including design, manufacturing engineering and quality support. The company produces passenger cars such as the iconic Ambassador and Contessa; commercial vehicles including light commercial vehicles under the Winner range, mini trucks, passenger vans and the RTV Ranger minibus; auto components like grey iron, SG iron, steel and aluminum pressure die castings; and historically offered earthmoving equipment through its former division. Founded in 1942 and headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal, Hindustan Motors operates primarily in India with idle manufacturing plants in Uttarpara, West Bengal; Tiruvallur near Chennai, Tamil Nadu; and Pithampur near Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
In recent developments, the company explores joint ventures and strategic partnerships for electric vehicle production, including talks with a European firm for EVs and consideration of sites like Uttarpara or Gujarat; it engages in scouting for tie-ups and potential investors to launch new products and infuse capital. Hindustan Motors sold the Ambassador brand to PSA Group (now Stellantis) in 2017 for Rs 80 crore, enabling PSA's use of its Chennai plant for Citroën vehicles; it executed a deal for scrap and obsolete equipment sale at the Uttarpara plant in 2023. The Uttarpara plant remains closed since 2015, with ongoing efforts for modernization and revival through partnerships.