Independence Day – Top Cars Made in India after 1947

Jai Hind! India has come a long way when it comes to automobiles. But it was not that we never had world-class cars in India. After attaining independence in 1947, the revolution of the Indian automobile industry had commenced. This was a post-war era, when many international car companies wanted to expand their boundaries and India was a newly born democracy, yearning to grow. Let’s have a look at some of the cars that were made locally and sold in that era and how they set the tone for India, to emerge as one of the largest car markets of the world, today.

Dodge Kingsway

Way before the present association of Fiat and Chrysler, erstwhile Fiat partner in India, Premier Automobiles was set up in 1948 and started to assemble Dodge cars in early 1949. The Dodge Kingsway was one of the models that this company assembled in India. The Dodge Kingsway was built by Chrysler for export markets and was relatively cheaper than its other products. It had a six-cylinder, 3.6-litre mammoth engine. This car was sold till the late 1950’s in India.

Studebaker Champion

Hindustan Motors, which was also founded in 1948, signed a deal with Studebaker of America and assembled the Studebaker Champion in the country. This was a full size sedan with a 2.8-litre, six-cylinder engine that produced around 80bhp of power. They were sold in India till the late 50’s.

Morris Ten (Hindusthan 10)

In 1948, Hindustan Motors also signed a deal with Morris Garage (MG) and started assembling the Morris Ten in India by early 1949. This was the first car to have an Indian brand name, which was the ‘Hindusthan 10’. This had a 1.2-litre engine that developed 32bhp and had a top speed of 100 km/h. This was a cheaper option to the large sedans. The Hindusthan 10 was made for about two years and then was discontinued in late 1950.

Morris Minor (Baby Hindusthan)

The Morris Minor replaced the Hindusthan 10 and was christened as ‘Baby Hindusthan’. This was a smaller and more convenient car. It came fitted with a 918cc engine which was low on maintenance and also easy to repair. The Morris Minor or Baby Hindusthan was a popular car for many years and could be seen plying on roads till the 80’s. This iconic car can still be seen at Vintage car expositions and there are some found in mint condition as well.

Fiat 500C

In 1951, Premier Automobiles signed a pact with Fiat of Italy and started to make the Fiat 500C under licence from the Italian manufacturer. The Fiat 500C was a compact, two-door car with a 569cc, 4 cylinder engine. This was a fun to drive car but was produced only for three years.

Morris Oxford (Landmaster)

In 1954, the Morris Oxford Series II or the ‘Hindustan Landmaster’ was launched. This was a modern design and sported a 1.5-litre, in-line 4 cylinder engine. The styling was still rounded that followed the genes of the Morris Minor, however, it looked more contemporary. The Landmaster was the predecessor of the Ambassador, which went on to become one of the most popular cars in India for many years to come and was sold till 2014.

Fiat 1100

Today, we get international car models in India, within a short span of their global launches. However, in the 50’s there was this car which did something similar. The Fiat 1100 was launched in 1953, in Italy and within a year, it had hit Indian roads. The Fiat 1100 was an all-new design and came with a 1.0-litre petrol engine with 35bhp of power. This car had a steering column mounted gear lever, which was considered fashionable in those days. It could do about 110 km/h of top speed and came with front suicide doors, which was a style statement then. This car remained popular for many years, even after being out of production. The Fiat 1100 was the predecessor of the Fiat 1100D, which later remained in production as the Premier Padmini, till the year 2000.

Willy’s Jeep

M&M, formerly Mahindra and Mohammed, became Mahindra and Mahindra after independence and tied up with Willy’s Jeep for manufacture of the CJ (Civilian Jeep) in India. The ‘Jeep’ tag was quick to give Mahindra the recognition of a Jeep maker. This iconic vehicle has been under production since then and has changed many forms, under the Mahindra brand.