Hindustan Ambassador

These “No Refusal” cabs were manufactured by Hindustan Motors of India. Produced from 1958 to 2014, the iconic Ambassador became a standard taxi model in 1962, delighting the Kolkata Taxi Association and passengers alike. The model had space and a regal air, and proved to be sufficiently hardy. For decades it was the most common vehicle on India’s roads. Government officials were chauffeured around in stately white ones, while police vehicles were embellished with flashing lights.

The 1980s welcomed the Maruti 800—boxy, compact, and perfect for the needs of a faster, upgraded nation. Other Indian cities began to adopt these as a new standard, but Kolkata has remained enthralled by the curvaceous charms of the Ambassador.

The iconic taxi was briefly imported to the UK, where the cars were retrofitted, but only a tiny number ever sold. A small fleet is still utilized in London as a specialty taxi service, though the city’s legendary black cabs are rather snooty about them. Regardless, the Ambassador will always remain a definitive Indian car, where it continues to careen through the streets of cities like Kolkata, refusing nobody.

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