The Hindustan Contessa used to be a famous car in India that Hindustan Motors (HM) manufactured from 1983 to 2002. The Vauxhall VX Series (1976-1978) gave birth to the Contessa. The VX series was in turn based on the Vauxhall Victor FE. The Contessa came in 1983 and the Indians saw it as a luxury car. The HM Contessa was a direct rival to the Premier 118 NE. The Contessa was also the Government-issued vehicle for VIPs and VVIPs. However, the Contessa was quick to lose out to the likes of Maruti Esteem and Daewoo Cielo. Today, the Contessa holds a high value amongst car collectors and some enthusiasts. Its clean lines, short rear overhang and long hood has made it quite a cult today. Here’s a modified Contessa that mimics a Dodge Challenger!
Also See- Tastefully Modified Cars in India
The modified Contessa car seen in the images here comes from a Chennai-based car customizing company. The company has tried to make the Contessa look like an old school muscle car. This modified Contessa seems to have taken some design cues from the classic Dodge Challenger. This modified Contessa has been named as the ‘Grey Hound’. This custom car comes with a new front fascia that features a long grille and LED-fixtures for the headlamp. It also does away with its metal bumper and instead sports a diffuser. It also gets new 18-inch black-painted alloys with chrome-plated lip. These wheels are shod with low profile tires. New LED taillights and an integrated spoiler are changes at the rear-end. The car comes painted in matte black.
Modified Contessa Images
The interior has been given an upholstery change. However, there’s no image of the interior.
Also See- Modified Ford EcoSport | Modified Mahindra XUV500 | Modified Maruti Swift
Modified Contessa Car Features
Deatures highlights of the modified Contessa car are-
- Metal-Fabricated Wheel Arches
- New Grill
- LED Headlamp and Tail Lamp integration
- FRP Rear Duck Tail Spoiler
- Reventon Matte Grey Paint Job
- Custom Upholstery
The performance modifications this car sports are unknown. However, a custom end can is clearly visible in one of the pictures. Also, going by the tasty bodywork, it’s for pretty sure that this modified HM Contessa carries at least some performance mods. The Contessa came with a range of Petrol and Diesel engines displacing 1.5-litres to 2.0-litres. The Isuzu-sourced 1.8-litre Petrol unit was the most powerful engine option. It came mated to a 5-Speed transmission. This engine benefited from fuel injection, almost a novelty at its time. It developed a max. power of 85 HP@5,000 rpm and a peak torque of 13.8 Kgm@3,000 rpm.
Also See- Modified Toyota Fortuner | Modified Volkswagen Polo | Modified Honda Civic
| Manufacturer | Hindustan Motors |
| Production | 1984–2002 |
| Class | Large family car |
| Body style | 4-door sedan |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Related Vehicle | Vauxhall VX Series |
| Engine | 1.8 L 4ZB1 I4; 2.0 L 4FC1-T turbodiesel I4 |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual; 5-speed manual |
| Wheelbase | 2,667 mm (105.0 in) |
| Length | 4,591 mm |
| Width | 1,699 mm |
| Height | 1,432 mm |
| Kerb Weight | 1,200 kg |
We don’t know much more about this modified Contessa car. However, you can stay tuned to CarBlogIndia for more dope on such modified cars.
And Here’s Another Tastefully Restored HM Contessa car-
So, now, we have stumbled upon another Contessa, which has been restored and done up by Retro Car Restoration, Calicut, Kerala. Honestly, the Conti looks really cool in this paint scheme and the guys at this mod shop seem to have done a good job with giving this car a new lease of life. However, the rims are a bit of an overkill. That said, the car is still high on bling quotient and we do like what the restorers have done here. Details on engine modifications aren’t available at the moment, but in most likelihood, it has received at least some attention to make it usable in this day and age. Well, let’s let the images speak for themselves –
