Austin Ambassador Price Guide

The Austin Ambassador was the final car to wear the Austin badge. A hatchback version of the Princess/Wedge that attempted to address the earlier car’s shortcomings. It arrived too late to matter and was discontinued in 1984 when British Leyland reorganised its brands.

The Car

Produced from 1982 to 1984, the Ambassador used the same Harris Mann-styled wedge body as the Princess but with a hatchback rear end, revised suspension (replacing the Princess’s Hydragas with conventional springs on some models), and the O-series 2.0-litre engine. Power steering was standard. Just 43,427 were built in two years before the Rover 800 and Austin Montego rendered it obsolete. The Ambassador was a competent car that suffered from the chaotic branding and model strategy that characterised British Leyland’s final years.

Buying

Extremely rare. The Ambassador has a tiny but dedicated following. The O-series engine is shared with the Montego and other BL products. Rust and parts scarcity are the main challenges. The Ambassador is a genuine rarity that represents the end of the Austin marque as a manufacturer of large cars.