A Longer Life After Death!
You can find an object like this in almost every household: most commonly, probably, a cookie jar or an old laundry detergent drum that, in its new use, has outlived its original purpose and intended lifespan many times over—in other words, it has been given a second life, so to speak. The same is true for cars—models that, after the end of their planned model cycle, were “passed down” as licensed productions and continued to be manufactured for many years. Some have even outlived their original manufacturer.
While there is no official record for the longest “afterlife,” the candidates for such a list are astonishing.
The record holder: an English car in India
At Morris in Cowley, the Series III Oxford sedan rolled off the assembly line only from 1956 to 1959. By then, production had already ended in the UK, and its replacement—a sedan designed by Pininfarina—was waiting in the wings. In India, however, its career was just beginning. Hindustan Motors had secured the rights; the body press dies were shipped from England; and in Uttarpara, near Kolkata, the Hindustan Ambassador was born. It became the government’s official vehicle, a taxi, and the quintessential Indian classic. Over the decades, it was fitted with new engines, most recently a 1.8-liter from Isuzu. Yet the rounded body from the 1950s remained unchanged throughout its lifetime.
It wasn’t until May 2014 that Hindustan ceased production, due to steadily declining demand and mounting financial problems. The car outlived its original model by 55 years.
The Challenger: Seven Remains Seven
The Ambassador’s record will likely fall soon. In 1973, Lotus wanted to shed its image as a kit car manufacturer and discontinue the Seven. Graham Nearn, a dealer in Caterham south of London, sealed the deal with Colin Chapman in May 1973 with a handshake in a pub, acquiring a few tools, some engines, and, most importantly, the exclusive rights to the Seven. Production began as early as June, initially with the Series 4. After just 38 units, however, Caterham returned to the classic Series 3.
The Seven is still being built today; since 1987, production has taken place in Dartford rather than Caterham. That’s 53 years. And there are still a few more to come. If all goes well, the Caterham will surpass the Ambassador in 2028. A purist might object that not a single part of today’s Seven corresponds to the original Lotus. But the idea has remained the same.
The Last Flat-Fender Jeep
As early as 1947, Mahindra & Mahindra secured the license to build the Willys Jeep. Assembling kits soon gave way to in-house production, primarily of the CJ-3B. In the U.S., this Jeep was phased out in the mid-1960s; estimates vary between 1964 and 1968.
In India, Mahindra continued to develop it over the decades, culminating in the Mahindra Major. When production of the Major was discontinued on October 1, 2010—42 or 46 years after the original model was phased out—it was considered the last Jeep with the characteristic flat fenders worldwide.
Avanti: a coupe, five owners
Studebaker produced the Avanti only from June 1962 to December 1963, building approximately 4,600 units. Then the plant in South Bend closed, and two local Studebaker dealers purchased the name, tooling, and factory space. The coupe lived on as the Avanti II, now powered by a Chevrolet V8.
The history was a bumpy one: Production continued in South Bend until 1987, then in Youngstown until 1991, followed by a hiatus in Villa Rica, Georgia, and finally a brief stint in Cancún, Mexico. In total, the brand changed hands five times. In March 2006, it was finally over; the last owner was later arrested for fraud. This means there were 42 years between the last Studebaker Avanti and the very last Avanti ever produced.
The Fiat That Became Russian
The Fiat 124 rolled out of Turin and into the world only from 1966 to 1974. In Togliatti, Russia, however, the first VAZ-2101 rolled off the assembly line in April 1970. It was a modified, licensed copy of the 124 and marked the beginning of one of the automotive industry’s greatest success stories.
The Fiat 124 variants are considered the third-best-selling model of a single type, after the Beetle and the Ford Model T.
The Lada, as the 2107, rolled off the assembly line for the last time in Russia in September 2012—most recently at the Izhevsk plant—and in Egypt as late as 2015. That’s 38 and 41 years, respectively, after production ended in Italy. To be honest, with its angular body, the 2107 no longer bore much resemblance to the 124 on the outside. Under the hood, however, it still featured the basic design of the old 124 from Turin.
A car? Ridiculous!
The top spot in this ranking, however—if it were included—would go to a motorcycle: the Enfield Bullet. It was first launched in England in 1932 and underwent continuous development.
In 1952, the Indian Army ordered the Bullet, and starting in 1955, it was built in India. With the decline of the British motorcycle industry, production in its home country ended in 1962, and the factory in Redditch closed in 1967. Since then, the Bullet has continued to be manufactured exclusively in Chennai—64 years after production ended in the UK. And what’s more: at 94 years old, the Bullet is also the world’s longest-running motorcycle in continuous production! Respect!
