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The Irish Sun
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
These are the longest living car models – including British icons and one that was in production for six decades
THE LONGEST living car models have been revealed, with British icons and a model that was in production for six decades. These vehicles are iconic worldwide and have earned their place as legendary models. 10 Black Mercedes-Benz G-class Credit: Getty Here's the top 10 longest living car models. 10. Mercedes-Benz G-Class (1979-2017) – 38 years The Mercedes-Benz G-Class was transformed from a rudimentary off-roader to one of the most expensive models in the Mercedes line-up. The German manufacturer halted production of the original G-Class in 2017, though the newer version still closely resembles the 1979 model. 10 Peugeot 504 Credit: Getty 9. Peugeot 504 (1968-2006) – 38 YEARS This popular model won the coveted European Car of the Year award in 1969. read more on motors The former Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad auctioned off his personal 1977 504 in 2010, which sold for a whopping £1.8million. 10 Hillman Hunter Credit: Getty 8. Hilman Hunter (1966-2005) – 39 YEARS Though mostly forgotten about today, the Himan Hunter went on to become one of Britain's best-selling cars during its 13-year reign on the UK's roads. Shortly after hitting showroom floors, Iran's national car company signed a deal, making it the country's national car — with the model used for taxis and police vehicles. 10 Classic mini Credit: Getty 7. Mini (1959-2000) – 41 YEARS A whopping 5.3million Minis were built during its 41 years. Most read in Motors The iconic British motor featured one of the most innovative designs under its hood, which inspired Lamborghini's 4.0-litre V12 engine. 10 Citroen 2CV Credit: Getty 6. Citroën 2CV (1948-1990) – 42 YEARS Motor experts credit Citroën's longevity to its simple, no-frills design. Around 5.1million 2CVs were produced, including an impressive 1.2million van variants. 10 Lada 4×4 Niva Credit: Getty 5. Vaz 2121/Lada Niva/ Lada 4x4 (1977-present) – 48 YEARS & COUNTING This stunning motor was built to withstand a rugged and off-road terrain. The Lada underwent a minor facelift in 2020 however, motor fans will be disappointed to learn that the end for this model is near, with a new one expected in 2025. 10 Hindustan Ambassador Credit: Getty 4. Hindustan Ambassador (1958-2007) – 49 YEARS Peugeot paid an eye-watering £10million for the Ambassador in 2017. The old-school motor has remained largely unchanged since its launch - except for the introduction of a more modern version, the Avigo, in 2004. 10 Morgan 4-4 Credit: Getty 3. Morgan 4/4 (1955-2019) – 64 YEARS Experts say the Morgan should have been phased out in the 1960s, yet the 4/4 model remained in production until 2019. Unfortunately, changes to emission regulations affecting the car's Ford Sigma engine led to the end of its production. 10 Volkswagen Type 2 Credit: Getty 2. Volkswagen Type 2 (1949-2013) – 64 YEARS Production of the Volkswagen Type 2 began after the brand's Dutch importer requested permission to distribute the basic Plattenwagen, originally used to move parts around the Wolfsburg factory. Europeans primarily used the Bus for work, while Americans fell in love with the camper versions. 10 Classic Blue VW Beetle Credit: Getty 1. Volkswagen Beetle (1938-2003) – 65 YEARS The Volkswagen is the longest-living car and is an iconic vehicle everywhere in the world. More than a stunning 21million examples of the Beetle were built in around a whopping 15 countries.
Scottish Sun
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
These are the longest living car models – including British icons and one that was in production for six decades
Check below to see which car model lived the longest STILL GOING These are the longest living car models – including British icons and one that was in production for six decades THE LONGEST living car models have been revealed, with British icons and a model that was in production for six decades. These vehicles are iconic worldwide and have earned their place as legendary models. Advertisement 10 Black Mercedes-Benz G-class Credit: Getty Here's the top 10 longest living car models. 10. Mercedes-Benz G-Class (1979-2017) – 38 years The Mercedes-Benz G-Class was transformed from a rudimentary off-roader to one of the most expensive models in the Mercedes line-up. The German manufacturer halted production of the original G-Class in 2017, though the newer version still closely resembles the 1979 model. 10 Peugeot 504 Credit: Getty 9. Peugeot 504 (1968-2006) – 38 YEARS This popular model won the coveted European Car of the Year award in 1969. Advertisement The former Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad auctioned off his personal 1977 504 in 2010, which sold for a whopping £1.8million. 10 Hillman Hunter Credit: Getty 8. Hilman Hunter (1966-2005) – 39 YEARS Though mostly forgotten about today, the Himan Hunter went on to become one of Britain's best-selling cars during its 13-year reign on the UK's roads. Shortly after hitting showroom floors, Iran's national car company signed a deal, making it the country's national car — with the model used for taxis and police vehicles. Advertisement 10 Classic mini Credit: Getty 7. Mini (1959-2000) – 41 YEARS A whopping 5.3million Minis were built during its 41 years. The iconic British motor featured one of the most innovative designs under its hood, which inspired Lamborghini's 4.0-litre V12 engine. 10 Citroen 2CV Credit: Getty Advertisement 6. Citroën 2CV (1948-1990) – 42 YEARS Motor experts credit Citroën's longevity to its simple, no-frills design. Around 5.1million 2CVs were produced, including an impressive 1.2million van variants. 10 Lada 4×4 Niva Credit: Getty 5. Vaz 2121/Lada Niva/ Lada 4x4 (1977-present) – 48 YEARS & COUNTING This stunning motor was built to withstand a rugged and off-road terrain. Advertisement The Lada underwent a minor facelift in 2020 however, motor fans will be disappointed to learn that the end for this model is near, with a new one expected in 2025. 10 Hindustan Ambassador Credit: Getty 4. Hindustan Ambassador (1958-2007) – 49 YEARS Peugeot paid an eye-watering £10million for the Ambassador in 2017. The old-school motor has remained largely unchanged since its launch - except for the introduction of a more modern version, the Avigo, in 2004. Advertisement 10 Morgan 4-4 Credit: Getty 3. Morgan 4/4 (1955-2019) – 64 YEARS Experts say the Morgan should have been phased out in the 1960s, yet the 4/4 model remained in production until 2019. Unfortunately, changes to emission regulations affecting the car's Ford Sigma engine led to the end of its production. 10 Volkswagen Type 2 Credit: Getty Advertisement 2. Volkswagen Type 2 (1949-2013) – 64 YEARS Production of the Volkswagen Type 2 began after the brand's Dutch importer requested permission to distribute the basic Plattenwagen, originally used to move parts around the Wolfsburg factory. Europeans primarily used the Bus for work, while Americans fell in love with the camper versions. 10 Classic Blue VW Beetle Credit: Getty 1. Volkswagen Beetle (1938-2003) – 65 YEARS The Volkswagen is the longest-living car and is an iconic vehicle everywhere in the world. Advertisement More than a stunning 21million examples of the Beetle were built in around a whopping 15 countries.
South China Morning Post
19-02-2025
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
Hailing a taxi in Kolkata means a hulking yellow one. Not for much longer
Published: 5:15pm, 19 Feb 2025 Kolkata residents cherish their city's past, which is why many in the one-time Indian capital are mourning a vanishing emblem of its faded grandeur: a hulking and noisy fleet of stately yellow taxis. The snub-nosed Hindustan Ambassador, the first of which rolled off the assembly line in the 1950s and whose design has barely changed in the decades since, once ruled India's potholed streets. Nowadays, it is rarely spotted outside Kolkata , where it serves as the backbone of the metropolitan cab fleet and a readily recognisable symbol of the eastern city's identity. But its numbers are dwindling fast, and a court ruling means those that remain – lumbering but still sturdy – will be forced off the roads entirely in the next three years. A row of Hindustan Ambassador yellow taxis parked along a roadside in Kolkata. Photo: AFP A Hindustan Ambassador yellow taxi passes a heritage building in Kolkata. Photo: AFP 'I love my car like my son,' Kailash Sahani, who has sat behind the wheel of an Ambassador cab for the past four decades, says.
Arab News
17-02-2025
- Automotive
- Arab News
End of the road for Kolkata's beloved yellow taxis
KOLKATA: Kolkata locals cherish their city's past, which is why many in the one-time Indian capital are mourning a vanishing emblem of its faded grandeur: a hulking and noisy fleet of stately yellow taxis. The snub-nosed Hindustan Ambassador, first rolling off the assembly line in the 1950s with a design that barely changed in the decades since, once ruled India's potholed streets. Nowadays it is rarely spotted outside Kolkata, where it serves as the backbone of the metropolitan cab fleet and a readily recognizable symbol of the eastern city's identity. But numbers are dwindling fast, and a court ruling means those that remain — lumbering but still sturdy — will be forced off the roads entirely in the next three years. 'I love my car like my son,' Kailash Sahani, who has sat behind the wheel of an Ambassador cab for the past four decades, told AFP. 'It's a simple car — no electronics, no frills,' the 70-year-old added. 'It's unbelievable how much things have changed ... The end of these taxi cars also marks our end.' Sahani is among thousands of Kolkata cabbies relinquishing their vehicles in line with tough emissions standards introduced in 2009 to ease the city's endemic smog problem. Only around 2,500 Ambassador taxis were still working at the start of this year, down from 7,000 a year earlier, according to Bengal Taxi Association figures. Another 1,000 will be retired this year, and West Bengal state transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty told AFP that the remainder will be gone by the end of 2027. 'The car is strong. Parts and maintenance are cheap and if it breaks down, it's easy to find a mechanic,' said Bengal Taxi Association spokesman Sanjeeb Roy. Their disappearance, he added, 'represents all that's wrong with India's changing economy.' The Hindustan Ambassador was the cornerstone of India's automotive industry for decades from its 1957 debut at a factory on Kolkata's northern outskirts. Modeled on a similarly regal sedan car from Britain's now long-defunct Morris Motors, the car was a triumphant achievement of industry in the first years of India's history as an independent nation.
Khaleej Times
17-02-2025
- Automotive
- Khaleej Times
India: End of the road for Kolkata's beloved yellow taxis
Kolkata locals cherish their city's past, which is why many in the one-time Indian capital are mourning a vanishing emblem of its faded grandeur: a hulking and noisy fleet of stately yellow taxis. The snub-nosed Hindustan Ambassador, first rolling off the assembly line in the 1950s with a design that barely changed in the decades since, once ruled India's potholed streets. Nowadays it is rarely spotted outside Kolkata, where it serves as the backbone of the metropolitan cab fleet and a readily recognisable symbol of the eastern city's identity. But numbers are dwindling fast, and a court ruling means those that remain -- lumbering but still sturdy -- will be forced off the roads entirely in the next three years. "I love my car like my son," Kailash Sahani, who has sat behind the wheel of an Ambassador cab for the past four decades, told AFP. "It's a simple car -- no electronics, no frills," the 70-year-old added. "It's unbelievable how much things have changed... The end of these taxi cars also marks our end." Sahani is among thousands of Kolkata cabbies relinquishing their vehicles in line with tough emissions standards introduced in 2009 to ease the city's endemic smog problem. Only around 2,500 Ambassador taxis were still working at the start of this year, down from 7,000 a year earlier, according to Bengal Taxi Association figures. Another 1,000 will be retired this year, and West Bengal state transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty told AFP that the remainder will be gone by the end of 2027. "The car is strong. Parts and maintenance are cheap and if it breaks down, it's easy to find a mechanic," said Bengal Taxi Association spokesman Sanjeeb Roy. Their disappearance, he added, "represents all that's wrong with India's changing economy". - Litany of defects - The Hindustan Ambassador was the cornerstone of India's automotive industry for decades from its 1957 debut at a factory on Kolkata's northern outskirts. Modelled on a similarly regal sedan car from Britain's now long-defunct Morris Motors, the car was a triumphant achievement of industry in the first years of India's history as an independent nation. A deluxe model, its windows adorned with lace curtains, was for years the main means of conveyance for government ministers and captains of industry. But the car's shortcomings also served as a reminder of deep structural problems with the quasi-socialist economic system that prevailed in India at the time. Buyers sat on wait lists for years because pervasive red tape stopped Hindustan Motors from raising production to meet demand, while a near-monopoly on sales left no incentive to maintain quality standards. That gave rise to an oft-repeated joke about the litany of defects found in the average "Amby": the only thing in the car that doesn't make a sound is its horn. Market reforms from the 1980s onwards saw the Ambassador muscled off Indian roads by more modern vehicles, and production was halted entirely in 2014 after years of flatlining demand. - 'Get with the times' - Kolkata, the headquarters of Hindustan Motors, is the last place where the cars are seen in any great number -- a reminder of the tethers binding the city to India's past. Grand public buildings evoke the immense riches that flowed through the city's tree-lined boulevards back when it was the second-largest city in the British Empire, after London. Nobel laureate poet and polymath Rabindranath Tagore was born and died in Kolkata, where the national anthem he composed was sung for the first time during India's long independence struggle. The city is also renowned for its thrumming nightlife, with crowded and dimly lit restaurants serving up chicken Kiev alongside the same suite of old-world European staples that have been listed on their menus since the late colonial era. But its importance has shrunk dramatically since that heyday, first with the relocation of India's capital to Delhi in 1911 and then with Mumbai's ascension as the country's most important commercial hub. Many of Kolkata's younger generations have left in search of better opportunities elsewhere, giving it a median age at least six years older than other big Indian cities, according to census data. The city's skewed demographics prompted its pre-eminent novelist Amit Chaudhuri to once quip that while Delhi was for seeking power and Mumbai was for chasing riches, Kolkata was for visiting one's parents. "People like me are under pressure to get with the times," retired Kolkata schoolteacher Utpal Basu, 75, told AFP. "Old cars go, new ones come," he added. "But it will break my heart when the city loses another icon."
