https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Hindustan_MotorsHindustan Motors - Revision history2026-08-01T03:24:16ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Hindustan_Motors&diff=445925&oldid=prevJAFMargie385530 at 02:54, 8 February 20262026-02-08T02:54:40Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Car manufacturing company in India}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}<br />
{{Infobox company<br />
| name = Hindustan Motors Limited.<br />
| logo = Hindustan Motors.svg<br />
| type = [[Public company|Public]]<br />
| traded_as = {{ubl|{{NSE|HINDMOTORS}}|{{BSE|500500}}}}<br />
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1942|df=yes}}<br />
| founder = [[Brij Mohan Birla]]<br />
| location = [[Kolkata]], India<br />
| key_people = {{ubl|Uttam Bose (MD)|Prakash Sahu (CEO)}}<br />
| industry = [[Automotive]]<br />
| products = {{ubl|[[Automotive industry]]|[[List of auto parts|Automotive parts]]}}<br />
| revenue = {{INR}} 30 crore <br /> (US$ 3.5 million) (2024)<br />
| operating_income = <br />
| net_income = <br />
| num_employees = <br />
| owner = S Parmar<br />
| divisions = Hindustan Motorcycles<br />
| subsid = <br />
| website = {{official URL}}<br />
| footnotes = <br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Hindustan Motors''' is an Indian [[Automotive industry|automotive manufacturer]] based in [[Kolkata]]. It is a part of the [[Birla Technical Services]] conglomerate. Hindustan Motors was the largest car manufacturer in India before the rise of [[Maruti Udyog]]. Hindustan Motors manufactured the [[Hindustan Ambassador|Ambassador]] and Landmaster motorcars (based on 1956 [[Morris Oxford Series III]]), both immensely popular Indian automobiles from 1957 to 2014.<ref name=IndExp>{{cite news|publisher=Indian Express|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/business/companies/hindustan-motors-terminates-240-managerial-staff/|title=Hindustan Motors terminates 240 managerial staff|date=7 June 2014|access-date=7 June 2014|archive-date=10 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161210215916/http://indianexpress.com/article/business/companies/hindustan-motors-terminates-240-managerial-staff/|url-status=live}}</ref><br />
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One of the original three car manufacturers in India, founded in 1942 by Mr. B.M. Birla,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://business.mapsofindia.com/automobile/car-manufacturers/hindustan-motors.html |title=Hindustan Motors map, Hindustan Motors india, Hindustan Motors Limited, First Indian Car Company |publisher=Business.mapsofindia.com |access-date=18 April 2011 |archive-date=20 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520181843/http://business.mapsofindia.com/automobile/car-manufacturers/hindustan-motors.html |url-status=live }}</ref> it was a leader in car sales until the 1980s, when the industry was opened up from [[protectionism|protection]]. Manoj Jha was the managing director who stepped down from the post on 21 February 2012.<ref>{{cite news|work=[[The Hindu]]|url=http://www.thehindu.com/business/companies/article2848232.ece|access-date=23 February 2012|date=23 February 2012|location=Chennai, India|title=Hindustan Motors MD Jha resigns|archive-date=6 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306064406/http://www.thehindu.com/business/companies/article2848232.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> <br />
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In early 2013, Hindustan Motors announced that it will demerger and transfer its Chennai plant to its fully owned subsidiary Hindustan Motor Finance Corporation Limited.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-01-14 |title=Hindustan Motors to demerger Chennai plant |url=https://www.carwale.com/news/hindustan-motors-to-demerger-chennai-plant/ |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=CarWale |language=en}}</ref> <br />
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On 11 February 2017, Hindustan Motors executed an agreement with [[PSA Group]] (now [[Stellantis]]) for the sale of the [[Hindustan Ambassador|Ambassador]] brand, including the trademarks, for a consideration of ₹80 crore.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://scroll.in/latest/829097/hindustan-motors-sells-ambassador-brand-to-peugeot-for-rs-80-crore|title=Hindustan Motors sells Ambassador brand to Peugeot for Rs 80 crore|author=Scroll Staff|newspaper=Scroll.in|access-date=2017-02-11|language=en-US|archive-date=12 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170212091132/https://scroll.in/latest/829097/hindustan-motors-sells-ambassador-brand-to-peugeot-for-rs-80-crore|url-status=live}}</ref> The tie-up entails two joint venture agreements between the companies of the two groups. The new Ambassador model was likely to be rolled out in December 2024. PSA would also use the plant to manufacture automobiles, engines and parts in the Chennai plant.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ambassador 2.0: The Return of India's Iconic Car After a Decade |url=https://businessviewelite.com/news/ambassador-2-0-the-return-of-indias-iconic-car-after-a-decade/ |website=Business View |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524034213/https://businessviewelite.com/news/ambassador-2-0-the-return-of-indias-iconic-car-after-a-decade/ |archive-date=May 24, 2024 |date=May 13, 2024 |url-status=usurped}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=PSA Peugeot-Citroen India Entry – Official Details Revealed! {{!}} CarDekho.com |url=https://www.cardekho.com/india-car-news/psa-peugeotcitroen-india-entry-ndash-official-details-revealed-19911.htm |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=CarDekho |language=en}}</ref> The Chennai plant manufactures [[Citroën]] vehicles.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-02-26 |title=PSA Group confirms the launch of Citroen in India by 2021 |url=https://www.autox.com/news/car-news/psa-group-confirms-the-launch-of-citroen-in-india-by-2021-105524/ |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=autoX |language=en}}</ref><br />
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== History ==<br />
[[File:Pragyan 2013 exhibitions vintage car.jpg|thumb|1948 Hindustan 10]]<br />
Hindustan Motors Limited (HML) was India's pioneering automobile manufacturing company. It was established just before the [[Indian Independence Act 1947]], in 1942 by B. M. Birla of the industrialist [[Birla family]] in collaboration with [[Lord Nuffield]] of [[Morris Motors]], who were already selling their cars in India. Commencing operations in a small assembly plant in Port Okha near Gujarat, the manufacturing facilities later moved to the [[Hindustan Motors factory, Uttarpara|Hindustan Motors Uttarpara unit]] in [[Uttarpara|Uttarpara, West Bengal]] in 1948, where it began the production of the Morris-designed [[Hindustan Ambassador]]. The HM-Mitsubishi Motors Plant is in Tiruvallur near Chennai in Tamil Nadu.<br />
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[[File:20150704Ambassador.jpg|thumb|Hindustan Ambassador, later model]]<br />
[[File:Hindustan_Trekker_(built_in_India)_(17159703005).jpg|thumb|Hindustan Trekker]]<br />
In 1948, after independence, vehicle production was shifted to a new greenfield plant spread over a large area in Uttarpara, West Bengal. The first car to roll out from the Uttarpara plant was the Hindustan 10, based on the [[Morris 10]]. Later the Hindustan 14, based on the [[Morris Oxford MO]], and baby Hindustan, based on the Morris minor, were produced. In 1954 Hindustan launched the [[Morris Oxford Series II]]-derived Hindustan Landmaster, and in 1957 the Hindustan Ambassador, based on the [[Morris Oxford Series III]], was launched. This first model, later known as Mark-1, whose basic design remained unchanged was manufactured until 2014 with various model changes on facelifts, engines and later with power steering, disc brakes, etc.<br />
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=== General Motors joint venture ===<br />
[[File:Imlil-Bedford-sushipumpum.jpg|thumb|Bedford TJ manufactured by HM in India]]<br />
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Hindustan and [[General Motors]] have had several tie-ups in the post independence era to produce [[Bedford Vehicles|Bedford Trucks]], [[Vauxhall Motors]] (1980 to 1990), [[Allison Transmission]]s and off-road equipment. In 1994, GM and Hindustan (C K Birla) formed a 50-50 joint venture, [[General Motors India]] to manufacture [[Opel Astra]] cars in the newly created mid-segment category. The production of the Astra was phased out and later replaced by the then successful [[Opel Corsa]] family of vehicles. In early 1999 General Motors India bought out the [[Halol]], Gujarat, plant from Hindustan Motors thus ending a long partnership.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://business.mapsofindia.com/automobile/car-manufacturers/general-motors-india.html |title=GM Motors, General Motors India, General Motors, General Motors Corporation |publisher=Business.mapsofindia.com |access-date=18 April 2011 |archive-date=11 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011020454/http://business.mapsofindia.com/automobile/car-manufacturers/general-motors-india.html |url-status=live }}</ref><br />
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On 21 February 2012, Mr. Manoj Jha, the managing director stepped down from his post. The decision was unanimously accepted by the board of directors.<ref>{{cite web|title=Manoj Jha quits as Hind Motors' MD; Co reports net loss|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/article2848102.ece|work=thehindubusinessline.com|publisher=Hindu Business Line|access-date=22 February 2012|archive-date=6 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306120653/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/article2848102.ece|url-status=live}}</ref><br />
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=== Earthmoving Equipment Division (HMEED) ===<br />
Hindustan motors used to make earthmovers, initially in collaboration with [[Terex]] (US) and Fermac (UK); and beginning in 1984 with [[Caterpillar Inc.]] at the HMEED plants in Thiruvallur, near Chennai and Puducherry. The operation was sold to Caterpillar in 2000 and HM quit the earthmover business. HML continue to be a joint venture partner with Caterpillar in Hindustan Power Plus, which manufactures diesel engines and generator sets.<br />
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=== Hindustan Tractors ===<br />
The company began in 1959 as '''Tractors and Bulldozers Private Ltd''' and imported tractors. Manufacturing of [[tractor]]s began in 1963, in collaboration Motokov-Praha ([[Zetor]]) of Czechoslovakia, and was known as '''Hindustan Tractors & Bulldozers Ltd'''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.taa.org.uk/southeast/Singh.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=31 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923220117/http://www.taa.org.uk/southeast/Singh.htm |archive-date=23 September 2006 }}</ref> In 1967, it became '''Hindustan Tractors Ltd'''. The tractors were based on the Zetor tractor design and sold under the [[Hindustan]] brand. In 1978, the Gujarat, Indian government formed Gujarat Tractors from the ailing company. In 1999, [[Mahindra Tractors]] purchased 60% of the company, and in 2001, completed purchasing the rest of the company, renaming it [[Mahindra Gujarat|Mahindra Gujarat Tractors Ltd]].<ref>http://iocg.ignou.ac.in/wiki/images/e/ee/MITI-023_B6CS4.pdf{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><br />
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=== Isuzu joint venture ===<br />
In 1982 Hindustan formed a collaboration with [[Isuzu]] to assemble and sell the [[Isuzu Forward|Isuzu F series - JCS]] trucks in India. These trucks came from the factory with a fully built modern metal cabin which was not common with [[Tata Motors|Tata]] and [[Ashok Leyland]] trucks at the time. They were well known for their reliability and fuel consumption, but were discontinued mainly due to falling sales, poor service facilities, and HML not being able to sell them for an affordable price.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://111emergency.co.nz/FIRE/ArapawaSI21-29/LG8684.JPG |title=Isuzu JCS Truck |access-date=18 April 2011 |archive-date=24 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724191625/http://111emergency.co.nz/FIRE/ArapawaSI21-29/LG8684.JPG |url-status=live }}</ref><br />
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[[File:1982 Isuzu Forward JCR500S (20839860170).jpg|thumb|Similar looking 1982 Isuzu Forward JCR500S]]<br />
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Hindustan Motors also entered into a technical collaboration to manufacture engines and transmissions for the [[Hindustan Contessa|Contessa]] in the late 1980s at a newly constructed state of the art engine plant at Pithampur near Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The petrol engine commonly known as Isuzu 1.8 Petrol would later serve in the Hindustan Ambassador with Multi Point Fuel Injection until 2015. Initially the joint venture produced 4-cylinder [[List of Isuzu engines#Isuzu G engine|G180Z 1.8L petrol]] engines and 5-speed transmissions. Later, an [[List of Isuzu engines#Isuzu F engine|2.0L Isuzu diesel]] engine was added to the production line to power the Contessa and the Ambassador. The technical collaboration lasted from 1983 to 1993. The Indore plant has since expanded to manufacture engines for a number of other manufacturers like Opel, Ford and Mahindra.<br />
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=== Mitsubishi joint venture ===<br />
Hindustan has a joint venture with [[Mitsubishi Motors|Mitsubishi]] that began in 1998. The plant is located in Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu. In India, Mitsubishi offered the Pajero, Lancer and Outlander with mild refreshes until early 2010s, but as time went by, their sales trended down. <br />
Mitsubishi launched Pajero Sport in 2012 with a 2.5l DI-D Variable Geometrical Turbo Diesel engine mated to a 5-speed AT (in 2WD only) or MT (in 4X4 only). Montero was also offered for a brief duration. Mitsubishi also launched the latest generation Outlander in 2018. The Lancer Evolution X was launched in India in 2013 as a CBU import, but it did not sell well in India due to the high price of ₹50 lakh.<br />
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===Gallery===<br />
[[File:2001 Mitsubishi Lancer (CE2) GLXi sedan (2009-09-17) 01.jpg|thumb|The sixth generation Mitsubishi Lancer had a long production run in India]]<br />
<gallery><br />
File:1997 Mitsubishi Pajero (NL) GLS wagon (24386593394).jpg|Mitsubishi Pajero<br />
File:Mitsubishi Outlander Facelift front.jpg|Mitsubishi Outlander<br />
File:Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Spotted At Kota Kinabalu.jpg|Mitsubishi Pajero Sport<br />
File:Mitsubishi Lancer front 20071215.jpg|Mitsubishi Lancer<br />
File:Mitsubishi Lancer 1.6 GLS 2012.jpg|Mitsubishi Lancer Cedia<br />
File:20071001 Lancer Evolution X-front.jpg|Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X<br />
</gallery><br />
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== Hindustan models ==<br />
=== Discontinued models ===<br />
====Passenger vehicles====<br />
* Hindustan 10 - based on 1947 Morris 10, replaced by Hindustan 122.<br />
* Hindustan 122 and Hindustan 14 -based on 1948 [[Morris Oxford MO]] Series - replaced with Landmaster.<br />
* Baby Hindustan based on [[Morris Minor]].<br />
* Hindustan Deluxe - based on 1948 [[Chevrolet Deluxe]].<br />
* Hindustan Landmaster - based on [[Morris Oxford Series II]] - 1954 to 1957. Made way for Ambassador range.<br />
* [[Hindustan Ambassador]] - ceased production in May 2014. It was one of the longest running models in the world for 56 years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2013-07-19 |title=Ambassador, the world's best taxi |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/ambassador-the-worlds-best-taxi/article4933758.ece |access-date=2022-05-29 |issn=0971-751X |archive-date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529064302/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/ambassador-the-worlds-best-taxi/article4933758.ece |url-status=live }}</ref><br />
* [[Hindustan Contessa]] - based on the British [[Vauxhall Victor#FE Series|Vauxhall Victor FE]] with [[Isuzu]] diesel or petrol engines.<br />
* Other Hindustan Ambassador derived models - Pushpak, Trekker and [[Hindustan Porter|Porter]] - ceased production since April 2008 Multiutility Vehicles based on Ambassador chassis and engines (Half Ton Driveaway Chassis).<br />
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==== Commercial vehicles ====<br />
* Lavender - a small truck with 1.8L petrol engine or 1.5L Diesel engine<br />
* Winner 1.5 XD FBV/Semi Deck (in collaboration with Shandong Shifeng)<br />
* MASCOT T-480 FC - commercial truck.<br />
* RTV Ranger - Minibus<br />
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== Former/idle plants ==<br />
* [[Pithampur]], [[Madhya Pradesh]] (near [[Indore]]) - Built in the 1980s it was a state of art robotic engine assembly plant as well as commercial truck assembly line for{{Clarify|date=June 2016}} then launched Isuzu F Series trucks. Later RTV & Winner were assembled here.<br />
* [[Hosur]], [[Tamil Nadu]] - Built for Off-Highway vehicles.<br />
* [[Hind Motor]], [[Uttarpara]], [[Hooghly district|Hooghly]] District, [[West Bengal]] - Closed since 2015. Oldest plant built in 1948, all Hindustan Ambassador badged vehicles were manufactured here.<br />
* [[Tiruvallur]], [[Tamil Nadu]] (near [[Chennai]]) - Built in the late 1990s for [[Mitsubishi]] range, later in 2015 started assembly for ISUZU vehicles until January 2016 when [[Isuzu]] moved to its new plant at [[Sri City]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]].<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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== External links ==<br />
{{commons category|Hindustan vehicles}}<br />
* {{official website|http://www.hindmotor.com/ }}<br />
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{{Hindustan Motors}}<br />
{{Automotive industry in India}}<br />
{{Cars in India}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Kolkata]]<br />
[[Category:Car manufacturers of India]]<br />
[[Category:Indian brands]]<br />
[[Category:Companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange]]<br />
[[Category:Companies listed on the National Stock Exchange of India]]<br />
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1942]]<br />
[[Category:Car brands]]<br />
[[Category:Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1942]]<br />
[[Category:CK Birla Group]]</div>JAFMargie385530