Longest running production cars - Hindustan Ambassador?

[timolloyd]

Read today that the Amby will finally cease rolling off the production line: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27563784

Got me thinking about which other vehicles had been or continue to be in continuous production for a long time, while remaining basically the same?

VW Beetle, Camper, Mini, Land Rover series etc. are all obvious contenders, as well as the Amby, but I also recall reading that there were oddities like a version of the Rover SD1 that continued to be built in India long after they were discontinued here.

Can anyone add to the list or shed some light?

[Wacky Racer]

Morgan 4/4

[Steffan]

Sad to see that India has its own production and sales problems. Various CKD projects exported from the UK into growing markets went on to have significant lives of their own. I have to say I would agree with the previous post the Morgan 4/44 is the longest UK production car I can think of. Be interesting to see if there are others.

[Isimmo]

Wacky Racer said:

Morgan 4/4

Oooo... Thats a good call.... It there anything in the Land Rover stable?

[ClassicMotorNut]

Mini - 41 years
2CV - 42 years
Ambassador - 56 years
Morgan 4/4 - 59 years so far (not including the Series I)
Beetle - 65 years

[davepoth]

I think the VW T2 would have it beat - 1949 to this year, so 65 years. The Land Rover Defender is a possible, but then it is a bit of a "Trigger's broom".

[iva cosworth]

Is the [originally]Hillman Hunter still being built somewhere ?

Not as long lived as some suggestions but still long in the tooth.

Peykan ?

[iva cosworth]

PAYKAN ARROW.

According to the Wiki ,still produced till relatively recently and production tooling sold

to Khartoum company in Sudan.

[vanordinaire]

Can we include a bike? Honda c50, 'invented 1954, first sold 1958 and still going strong. Over 60 million made (so far)

[Steffan]

davepoth said:

I think the VW T2 would have it beat - 1949 to this year, so 65 years. The Land Rover Defender is a possible, but then it is a bit of a "Trigger's broom".

That was my thought. Otherwise visibly different versions of a car using the same name but actually not the same vehicle could apply. "triggers broom" being a very good comparison. Not the same item! The VWT2 does seem the probable winner although someone may suggest otherwise. Interesting topic and interesting results

[Old Merc]

The Peugeot 504 was produced in Nigeria from 1968 to 2005.

[jamesatcandsc]

vanordinaire said:

Can we include a bike? Honda c50, 'invented 1954, first sold 1958 and still going strong. Over 60 million made (so far)

Or the Royal Enfield Bullet. Launched in 1931 and still in production.

[timolloyd]

Old Merc said:

The Peugeot 504 was produced in Nigeria from 1968 to 2005.

Good call on the 504. More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peugeot_504#1973_to_p...

[timolloyd]

Old Merc said:

The Peugeot 504 was produced in Nigeria from 1968 to 2005.

Good call on the 504. More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peugeot_504#1973_to_p...

[Steffan]

jamesatcandsc said:

vanordinaire said:

Can we include a bike? Honda c50, 'invented 1954, first sold 1958 and still going strong. Over 60 million made (so far)

Or the Royal Enfield Bullet. Launched in 1931 and still in production.

I wondered about the Bullet (long ago I had one) but decided that it is not a car however based on the production life it may well be the longest overall mechanically propelled device in production.

[MoggieMinor]

Bullet and C90, both superb bikes.

How about the Land Rover, in production since 1948.

[Steffan]

MoggieMinor said:

Bullet and C90, both superb bikes.

How about the Land Rover, in production since 1948.

But fundamental changes in the models over the years mean it is no longer original but a derivative vehicle.

[aeropilot]

davepoth said:

I think the VW T2 would have it beat - 1949 to this year, so 65 years.

To be pendantic......it was 64 years. Nov '49 to Dec 31st 2013.

[timolloyd]

The Standard motor company in India kept the SD1 going a few years longer until 1988, and the Herald almost another decade longer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_(Indian_auto...

[lowdrag]

Including the CKD versions sold to Japan (which is why they drive on the right) didn't the Austin Seven have a pretty long life too?