Austin Ambassador

The Austin Ambassador wis a medium-tae-lairge hatchback introduced bi Breetish Leyland (BL) in 1982. The caur wis a heavily updated version o the Princess, an agein model which lacked a hatchback. Anerlie the doors an inner structur wur carried ower, but the slichtly wedge-shaped design betrayed the caur's Princess origins, an it wis na considered a truly new model.

Tae some extent a competitor tae smawer-engined models o the Austin Rover Group's awn Rover SD1, sales wur law an the model wis discontinued in 1984.

Unlik the Princess, thare wis nae 6-cylinder 2.2 litre version; the Ambassador wis initially offered in 4-cylinder 1.7 litre an 2.0 litre (single carburettor) variants, in "L", "HL" an "HLS" trims. Instead o the previous premium 2.2 litre models, thare wur the HLS an later Vanden Plas trim levels, baith wi a twin-carburettor version o the 2.0 litre ingine. In 1983, the 2.0 litre HL wis upgraded tae an aa uise the mair powerful twin-carburettor ingine. A fower-speed manual gearbox (an automatic) wur the anerlie transmissions offered, wi commentators citin the lack o a fift gear for the manual tranmission as ane o the caur's drawbacks.

The Ambassador wis na anerlie biggit in right haund drive an sicweys wis exportit in continental Europe, at less in Fraunce, an few remain the day — in Breetain, approximately 250 oot o 43,500. The quick succession o its replacement meant the caur anerlie ever serves as a stap-gap in the Austin range.

The Ambassador wis discontinued in 1984, wi nae offeecial replacement. The gap it left in the Austin-Rover range wis effectively filled bi the slichtly smawer Montego, an bi the new generation o smawer Rovers.

UK ingine an trim options	L	HL	HLS	Vanden Plas
1.7	✓	✓
2.0		✓
2.0 twin carb		✓	✓	✓

Special versions

As wi the Princess 'fore it, Ambassadors wur converted bi specialist coachbuilders intae hearse an limousine variants.

Parts bin components

The headlights wur shared wi the Morris Ital. Ither minor components includin much o the interior trim wis an aa shared wi ither BL products. Accordin tae Breetish Leyland, anerlie the front an door skins wur directly shared wi the Princess.

Sales

A 1982-83 Ambassador

The Ambassador achieved domestic sales o 43,427 in the twa years which it wis available. O thir 43,427, anerlie aroond 250 ar thocht tae be still on-the-road (awtho the nummer SORN is unkent). Thir sales figures houiver ar still somewhat slower than that o its successor, the Montego, which despite bein hit bi strikes at Cowley an Longbridge remained a strong seller an achieved sales o 436,000, albeit ower a langer era.

Media appearances

• A fleet o reid Austin Ambassadors wis shawn on a production line in a 1982 Not the Nine O'Clock News skit – aw the actor employees on the line, includin Rowan Atkinson, wur kent as Bob. The end o the skit proclaimed "The BL Ambassador – Hand Built by Roberts"
• The Austin Ambassador wis the subject o the sang "My Austin Ambassador Y Reg" bi comedian Graham Fellows, in which he speaks o how great the caur is.