By Adam Mynott BBC Delhi correspondent

One of the most enduring symbols of India, the Ambassador car, is getting a facelift.

The car has not been altered since it was first built in India in the late 1950s - even then it was modelled on the old British Morris Oxford.

The motive is to retain a heritage look on the outside and a luxury vehicle on the inside

BK Chaturvedi, Hindustan Motors

Manufacturers Hindustan Motors are unveiling the car at the Auto Show in Delhi this week, chasing what they hope is a new market in retro chic.

The new model boasts a re-designed front grille and bonnet, wider wheels, power steering, new stereo, new gear shift arrangement and leather seats throughout - fairly minor modifications to India's oldest and most famous car.

Declining popularity

Hindustan Motors hopes the changes will halt declining sales of this grand old Indian icon.

Until the 1980s it dominated the market. It now accounts for less than 5%.

"The motive is to retain a heritage look on the outside and a luxury vehicle on the inside," says Hindustan Motors President and Chief Executive BK Chaturvedi. "We are hoping to appeal to the existing market and attract young drivers."

India's prime minister travels in a white Ambassador

The reasons for the car's enduring appeal and success are its simplicity and its ability to handle punishment on India's roads.

It is the rugged reliability that has made the Ambassador first choice with taxi drivers.

They buy 65% of Ambassador output, and new visitors to India arriving at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi are greeted by hundreds of taxi drivers trying to persuade them to take a ride in their black and yellow Ambassador.

The Ambassador is also woven into the Indian idea of statehood.

It is the official car of senior politicians, bureaucrats and military officers.

The state buys nearly a fifth of all Ambassadors that are built, and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is driven to official functions in a shiny white version.

Fierce competition

The car is everywhere but it is facing tough competition in the marketplace - hence the face lift.

Some are sceptical about whether the new design can halt sliding sales

"I think time will tell," says motoring columnist Murad Ali Baig. "You can't teach a dowager to dance beyond a certain point and I can't see too many people wanting to buy an Ambassador instead of a Lancer or a Honda City.

The interior has been made more luxurious

"But on the other hand it is a large spacious car, and some people want to be different."

The management of Hindustan Motors has been very encouraged this week by the flood of visitors to their stand at the Delhi Auto Expo to have a look at the new "Amby".

It is a must on everyone's list, but whether that will translate into increased sales is hard to gauge.

The new model will go on sale in the middle of 2002 and cost between 400,000 and 500,000 rupees ($9,000 - $11,000).