The Peugeot-Ambassador connection has been rekindled by the students in Ajeenkya DY Patil University in Pune, who took up the project as a tribute to an advert. The students converted an old Ambassador into a modern-day Peugeot 208 GTI.
How did they do it?
First off, the three-box design of the Ambassador was converted into a two-box layout by chopping off the boot. The whole vehicle had to be restructured completely to make the Ambassador take the Peugeot form. The students got the CAD design files of the original 208 GTI from Peugeot and then used that to create fibreglass panels. The entire rear-end of the vehicle is made up of fibreglass, made in-house by the students. The rear design is an exact replica of the original 208 GTI and instead of the glass windshield in the rear, the students had to fit in a customised acrylic piece.
The rear fibreglass piece blends into the metal body of the Ambassador. All the panels of the vehicle have been hand-beaten and it is commendable that the Ambassador became an almost flawless replica complete with the creases. Even in the front, the bonnet lid is made up of glass fibre similar to the rear end of the vehicle and all the hinges are custom-made.
The students also got many original parts of the 208 GTI from Peugeot, France. Parts like the headlamps, tail lamps, ORVMs, alloy wheels and the badges are original and enhances the overall look of the vehicle. Even parts like the front grille, bumper and the fog lamps are from the original vehicle. Students have spacers behind the tyres to attain Peugeot’s wide design whereas the Ambassador’s body is much narrower.
On the inside, the car gets stock Ambassador layout without any changes done. It gets bench seats at the front and the rear with carpet on the floor and the dashboard. The car gets the original Mark-I Ambassador engine. It is an Isuzu 1.5 litre diesel engine that churns out a maximum of 55 Bhp and is not at all refined. The Ambassador was a rear-wheel driven vehicle while the 208 GTI is a front-wheel driven vehicle. While the driving layout may not match, the Ambassador’s Peugeot form sure brings back some good memories from the past and creates hopes for the future.
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