BHPian Dippy recently shared this with other enthusiasts: India has traditionally been a chauffeur-driven country. Most of the time, you will see the owner relaxing in the back seat with his chauffeur at the wheel. While today, fancy luxury cars are a common sight on our roads, right from Maybachs to Range Rovers, things were different before the imports came in. Sure, there were Mercs and BMWS back then, too, but they were very rare when compared to today. Looking back to the 80s and 90s, here are my top 3 ‘Seth’ *cars I could think of from that era. These cars were very popular in Bollywood movies, often portrayed as those owned by villains and the rich.Maruti 1000 / Esteem: The Maruti 1000 was nothing short of a big change for the car maker. Their first proper 3-box sedan. Looked good, had nice interiors and came with lots of creature comforts. The 1.0 petrol engine wasn’t that great, but the introduction of the Esteem solved that issue. The Daewoo Cielo, Honda City and Lancer came later, but it was the Esteem that started it all. It became very popular as a chauffeur-driven car. Being seen in an Esteem meant you were rich.Hindustan Contessa Classic: India’s first luxo barge. This one was a proper ‘Seth’ car. It was long, had oodles of space inside and truly gave a big car feeling. Not to mention the smooth 1.8-litre Isuzu petrol engine with a 5-speed manual box. Supremely comfortable at the back and an excellent highway cruiser as well. On the other hand, it made for an awesome project muscle car. The engine bay was big enough to plonk in a V8. I have had the good fortune to spend a lot of time with mod Aditya’s ex Contessa for many years.Hindustan Ambassador: The definitive ‘Seth’ car before all the rest. People still swear by the back seat even today. Supremely comfortable and space to move your house around. The later versions with the petrol and diesel Isuzu engines made it even better. It was the only car for the netas and businessmen at that time, and was the national car of India for many years. I drove one recently, and it still brings a big smile to my face. Any other cars from that era that come to your mind? Related threads:Maruti Esteem tribute An ode to the Hindustan Ambassador The Contessa Classic thread Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
