It is a fact that many Indians believe in life beyond death. But it is more curious to discover a British car is having its afterlife in India. The Morris Oxford, which last rolled off the production line at Cowley 35 years ago, is still being produced in India by Hindustan Motors under the brand name Ambassador and thousands are still buying it.

The story goes back to the late 1940s when Birlas, one of the foremost business houses in India, forged a relationship with Morris which went on to supply it with Oxfords in kit form.

In 1957 the Indian-produced car became known as the Ambassador and since then has been built continuously in the Uttarpara plant of Hindustan Motors in the West Bengal state of India.

The present Ambassadors are replicas of the Series III Morris Oxford, which was launched in the UK in 1956.

So what started this love affair with the car? The Morris Oxford had a semi-monocoque chassis, a nuance which provided it with ample space to accommodate six passengers comfortably.

When it was introduced, this became the perfect vehicle for large Indian families. And the body was sturdy while the B Series engine was also a real workhorse.

That meant the car could cope with the extreme weathers, difficult terrain and miserable condition of the Indian roads.

Bill Jupp, a former employee of Cowley-based Pressed Steel which built the panels for the Morris Oxford, attributes the toughness of the car to the thick metal sheets used in its production.

He said: "Now you can build four cars with the same amount of material."

Only seven Indian firms gained permission to manufacture vehicles in the country in the 1950s.

This, coupled with the sturdiness of the frame, made Ambassador a favourite of government officials, taxi operators and car enthusiasts alike.

Although the number of cars produced in the financial year 1959-1960 was only 500, in the later years its popularity grew steadily and annual sales reached the zenith of 30,000 units in 1970s and 1980s.

Now compare the sales figures of the original and that of its copy. Official figures show the total number of Morris Oxford Series II's produced at Cowley was 87,341 and the combined figure for the Series III and IV was 58,117.

But these robust sales figures could not last forever. The advent of new cars, mainly the Suzuki-based Maruti, caused the decline in sales of Ambassadors to about 15,000 vehicles a year. Soni Shrivastav, general manager (corporate affairs) of Hindustan Motors, says 65 per cent of the cars being sold every year are being used by the tourism industry.

Another 20 per cent are bought by the central or state governments for their official fleets.

Amby', as Ambassador is fondly called in India, is now imported here by Merlin Garages, based in the Welsh village of Llanwrda, with a handful of sales every year.

Director David Darell is marketing the Amby' after changing 30 features including the addition of a heater. The models cost between £9,500 and £12,000 and, interestingly, he has sold one Ambassador to a client in Oxford.

There are some real die-hard fans of this vehicle in the UK. In 2004, Max Hora chose an Ambassador because his family owned a Morris Oxford Series III in the 1960s. Mr Hora dislikes what he perceives as computer designed, aerodynamic' cars which seen in modern showrooms.

He explained: "In the 1960s each car was distinctive - but these days they look more or less the same".

Another ardent fan of the Amby' is Tobias Moss, who runs Karma Kabs, a London taxi service using four Ambassadors bought from Merlin Garages.

And to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Series II Morris Oxford in 2005, Tim Nicholson and Joanne Bowlt travelled from Oxford in the UK to Oxford in New Zealand at the wheel of their Morris Oxford, called Florence.

On the way, they attended the launch of the Avigo, a new model of the Ambassdor, at the Gate Way of India in Mumbai.

Mr Nicholson said: "When Joanne first went to India, she travelled in an old Ambassador and wanted to own one.

"When we were planning our journey she included India to see the Ambassador and drive one. A journey through India was important for Joanne, simply because she travelled in an Ambassador."

This year marks the golden jubilee year for Amby' and Hindustan Motors management is planning to celebrate by coming out with a special edition.

And there are still no plans to to stop making the oldest car still in continuous production.

Contact: www.merlingarages.co.uk