Fiat vying with Maruti, Tata Motors to replace Ambassador cabs in Kolkata

The cars are currently out of market with Hindustan Motors suspending operations at its Uttarpara plant in Hooghly district

After Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors, now Fiat is set to join the race to replace Hindustan Motors’ Ambassador cars in Kolkata’s taxi segment.

The Ambassador cars, which enjoyed a near monopoly in Kolkata’s taxi segment for decades, is now out of market with Hindustan Motors suspending operations at its Uttarpara plant in Hooghly district of the state. Meanwhile auto majors like Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors have already introduced of its models exclusively for taxi market.

Fiat Group Automobiles India is also planning to launch a stripped-down version of its Linea mid-sized sedan for the taxi market in Kolkata. “We hope to get the approval for this from West Bengal soon. We have already started to sell the model in the taxi market of Mumbai and Delhi,” Nagesh Basavanhalli, president and managing director of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (Indian operations), said while unveiling its multi-purpose vehicle Avventura in Kolkata. According to Sanjay Patodia, managing director of Kolkata’s leading car dealership company Austin, which has now become the dealer of Fiat cars besides being the leading dealer of Ambassador for many years, the approval from the state government may come in weeks’ time.

“Maruti’s dzire and Tata Motors’ Indigo has already started to take advantage of Ambassador's absence. The state transport department recently announced to give permit to 3,000 new taxis. I think, Fiat Linea, would also be potential replacement in this segment,” Patodia said.

While the Linea is priced at over Rs 7 lakh, the stripped-down version for the taxi segment is likely to be priced at Rs 6.22 lakh compared to Ambassador’s price of Rs 5.60 lakh.

Last year, Tata Motors launched a version of non-AC, non-power steering, and Euro IV-compliant model of Tata Indigo in the Rs 5 lakh price band. Before that Maruti had launched its stripped-down version of Swift Dzire for the taxi segment.

Production of Hindustan Motors’ flagship Ambassador car, stopped after the management closed its Uttarpara plant on May 23 this year citing worsening conditions, in the preceding couple of years.