Austin Ambassador. 1982–4 (prod. 226,000 for all Princess and Austin Ambassador variants). 5-door saloon. F/F, 1695, 1994 cm³ (4 cyl. OHC). The car the Princess should always have been. Addition of rear tailgate finally makes Princess make the best use of its wedge shape. Almost every panel new other than front door skins. Sloping grille, six-light body and low bonnet line more contemporary. Some nice touches lost: windscreen wipers now exposed, interior worsened and Austin Allegro-like. Underpowered, yet six-cylinder engine no longer available. Ride, using Moulton’s Hydragas system, probably only redeeming feature. A sad end to roomy, ambitious car; replaced by Austin Montego.

Manufacturing location: Cowley, England

Marque: Princess | Predecessor: Princess 2 | Successor: Austin Montego Mk I

Off-site link

• Austin Rover Online: Princess development story