Some cars just cross every expectation one can keep from it. Standard Herald was one such car. It was the most advanced family car of its time. The luxury elegance which came to our shores in the 1960s was a class apart from its rivals. This luxury 4-door saloon was the Indian version of Triumph Herald, the UK based company which Standard collaborated with. Let’s take a look at history.
The Triumph Herald
This 2-door saloon came into existence back in 1959 in Coventry, UK. Triumph had great success with the Herald in the market and the saloon can still be seen on the roads of the UK.
The Indian Herald
Watching the success of Herald globally, Indian automobile manufacturer, Standard decided to bring the car to India. Initially after the collaboration with Triumph, Standard used to source majority parts of the Herald from the UK. Indian customers had two options: a 4-door saloon and 5-door estate version.
Talking about the car, a 1.0-litre engine powered the Herald which produced around 42hp of power and 67Nm of torque. For your reference, the bigger 1.5-litre engine at the Hindustan Ambassador produced a 55hp of power. The Herald could easily reach a top speed of 112kmph, which might not be much but was enough for cruising in this luxury.
The Standard Herald was equipped with independent suspension at all the wheels, a feature which is still not present in every car. This made the Herald a highly comfortable car. The car was available in 5 different exquisite colours: Sebring White, Powder Blue, Phantom Grey, Black and Conifer Green.
The Unique Futuristic Design
The Indian automotive industry had just begun to flourish. There were very few cars that had a design other than the old school saloons. The Standard Herald came in as an exception. Although one might say that the design is still a traditional one, the Herald sported a bolder and sleeker chassis. With optimum curves and cuts, Herald easily stood apart from the key opponents.
The round headlamps with a chrome grille at the front and a sloping bonnet with the badging added to the luxury looks. The interiors were pretty good too. The separate front seats with adjustable driver seat just added more. The upholstery was another addition to the grandeur of the Standard Herald. The extremely slim front and rear pillars of the car made it a pleasant car to drive.
Mark II & Mark III
The first generation of Standard Herald did pretty well in the Indian market. This generation was based on the Triumph Vitesse. This model of Herald was pretty well received too, all thanks to the unique design and reliable luxury.
Mark III, which was launched in 1968, was made indigenously to meet the expectations of the Indian buyers. Herald was also given an estate counterpart named Companion which, like the other station wagons, was not able to make any mark in the Indian market.
Standard Gazel
In 1972, the company revamped the Standard Herald which came with a different front grille and wide-apart headlights. For the suspension duties, the Gazel had independent wishbone suspension at the front and coil springs at the rear.
Did it perform well?
The rivals were strong and cheaper than the Herald. The Standard Herald had to compete with the HM Ambassador and Premier Padmini. This does not mean that the car failed. Standard Herald is one of the very few foreign models that have made it big in the Indian automotive industry. But the company was not able to keep this up with the next models introduced. One such is the Standard 2000.
Have a look: Standard 2000 | A Story of Poor Build Quality & False Claims
Image source(s) – [1]
Your pic. of the Herald MkIII is incorrect – it is actually a 2-door MkII in the picture. The MkIII was a 4-door. You can find ample pics of it on the net too.
Also the so-called ‘convertible’ Standard Herald pic. you posted is actually a modified hardtop, done by the owner. There never was a convertible version of the Herald sold in India.
Hi Shyam,
Thanks for pointing out the discrepancy with the image of Herald MKIII and it has been replaced. For the convertible one, we have not mentioned anywhere in the article that the Herald came in as a convertible in India. Thanks for your input. Stay tuned!
The first Herald had 800 cc engine with twin doors. The access to the rear seats was through the front door with foldable front seats. Floor shift gear and sporty pedals was a luxury. The engine was peppy and would outperform other cars. It was also very good on mileage because of its light body weight. On the whole a car far and truly ahead of its time.
Also please note: the Standard Gazel did NOT come with leaf springs but twin coil springs over shocks with a beam axle and anti-roll bar at he rear. I know this, since I own myself and my father did too.
Please research properly before you post information about automobiles on the net. There are still very many people even in an autombile-illiterate country like India who know a great deal more than others.
Hi Shyam,
Standard Gazel did come with the leaf springs as the Indian roads were harsh at that time. Great to know that you own the car and would be great if you can share some pictures of your Standard Gazel via mail at gomechanicblog@gomechanic.in
Stay tuned!
Sorry but your info is not cirrect- the Gazel NEVER came with leaf but with coil springs on all 4 wheels. I have grown up with a Gazel in my family and own one even currently so I can say for sure.
Yes, that’s correct. It was the first Indian car to come a rear Coil spring multiple joint suspension. A very advanced tech at that time but the car had quality issues.
Hi Ritvik
No, your info on the Gazel is not correct. They NEVER were fitted with leaf springs. If yiu have any evidence showing otherwise please post/share.
Hi Shyam,
If you can share the images with us, it would be great as from our sources, the Gazel came with leaf springs. You can share images with us via mail on gomechanicblog@gomechanic.in
For further evidence regards the Gazel’s rear suspension, please find this image of a page from an original sales brochure of the Gazel. You can read the description under “SUSPENSION”, the details of front and rear suspension, clearly says COIL springs:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/andreboeni/16530077845
Hi Shyam,
Thanks for sharing the correct information, we’ll update the article at the earliest. Stay tuned and let us know about any other information that you find is not correct.
Hi
Appreciated. Glad I could help.
Hi Ritvik, The top dual tone Herald is my car.
स्टैंडर्ड हेराल्ड कार मेरे पिताजी के पास 1974 से 1976 तक रही है,इस कार के साथ मेरी बचपन की बहुत सी यादें जुड़ी हुई है ।
आलेख पढ़कर आनंद आ गया, लेकिन कुछेक जानकारी में संशोधन आवश्यक है।
स्टैंडर्ड हेराल्ड कार मेरे पिताजी के पास सन 1974 से सन 1976 तक रही है इस कार के साथ मेरी बचपन की बहुत सी यादें जुड़ी हुई है।