PREMIER PADMINI

                               PREMIER PADMINI 


'Premier Padmini' was an automobile manufactured in India from 1967 to 2000. Premier Automobiles Limited, the erstwhile flagship company of India's Walchand Hirachand Group, assembled Fiat's Fiat 1100 cars from the 1950s until 1997. The car ruled Indian roads for three decades (1955-1985).

                                         

The Fiat 1100D, based on the Fiat 1200 GranLuce Berlina debuted in India in 1964 with a 1,089 cc four-cylinder engine rather than the GranLuce's 1,221 cc engine. It put out 40BHP  (30 kW) at 4800 rpm with a maximum torque of 7.20 kgf·m (70.6 NM) at 3000 rpm. The original transmission was a four-speed manual gearbox that drove the rear wheels through a live axle. Weighing 895 kg (1,970 lb) the car could attain a top speed of 115 km/h (71 mph).

                                         

Premier manufactured it at their Kurla, Mumbai plant until they sold a majority stake to Fiat SpA in September 1997.

With minor modifications over the years, it was variously named Fiat 1100/103, Fiat Millecento, Fiat 1100-Delight, Premier President and finally the Premier Padmini.

Some post-1996 models (137D) sported diesel engines, built under license from Fratelli Negri Machine Sud S.r.l., Italy.

                                                        

Numerous examples still abound as taxicabs in Mumbai. Many of these taxis now run on CNG for fuel economy.

Along with the Hindustan Ambassador, it harks back to the socialist India of pre-liberalization, before the reforms program of 1991. Classic Car Clubs have since been started by Fiat enthusiasts.