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{{More citations needed|date=June 2011|premier company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Premier Limited
| logo =
| former_name = Premier Automobiles Ltd.
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{BSE|500540}}<ref>https://www.bseindia.com/stock-share-price/premier-ltd/premier/500540/ Premier in BSE</ref><br />{{NSE|PREMIER}}<ref>https://www.nseindia.com/live_market/dynaContent/live_watch/get_quote/GetQuote.jsp?symbol=PREMIER Premier in NSE</ref>
| ISIN =
| area_served = [[India]]
| key_people = Maitreya V. Doshi {{small|(Chairman)}}
| industry = Automotive
| products = Automobiles
| production =
| services =
| parent = [[Walchand group|Walchand Group]]
| subsid =
| foundation = 1944
| founder = [[Walchand Hirachand]]
| location = 58, [[Nariman Point|Nariman Bhavan]], [[Mumbai|Mumbai, Maharashtra]], India<ref>{{cite web|url=http://premier.co.in/contactus.html|title=Contact Us - Premier Ltd|work=www.premier.co.in|access-date=3 December 2019}}</ref>
| homepage = {{URL|http://www.premier.co.in}}
}}

'''Premier Ltd.'''<ref>https://www.ndtv.com/business/premier-ltd-press-release-159342 Premier Press release</ref> (formerly '''The Premier Automobiles Limited''')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.premier.co.in |title=Premier Ltd |publisher=Premier.co.in |access-date=2011-01-01}}</ref> is a manufacturer of vehicles based in [[Mumbai, India]].<ref name="premier1">{{cite web |url=http://premier.co.in/wd/contact-us.html |title=Premier Contact US |publisher=Premier.co.in |access-date=2010-08-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821225338/http://premier.co.in/wd/contact-us.html |archive-date=2010-08-21 }}</ref> The company is owned by the [[Walchand group|Walchand Group]]. [[Walchand Hirachand]] established the Premier Automobiles Ltd.(PAL) in 1944 with the encouragement and support of [[M. Visvesvaraya|Sir. M. Visvesvaraya]]. In October 1947 Premier Ltd. manufactured the first Indian made trucks and cars rolled out onto the streets of a free India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.indianhumepipe.com/AboutUs/OurFounder.aspx|title=The Indian Hume Pipe - Manufacturer of Reinforced Concrete Cement Pipes, Non-Cylinder Prestressed Concrete Pipe.|last=IHP|website=www.indianhumepipe.com|access-date=2017-02-07}}</ref> Premier is well-known for its [[Premier Padmini]] which ruled the Indian car market and its popularity peaked during 1970s and 80s.

==History==

[[File:Plymouth Savoy 2.jpg|thumb|Plymouth Savoy 1956]]
[[File:Dodge - Kingsway - 1956 - 28 hp - 6 cyl - WBE 1362 - Kolkata 2014-01-19 6408.JPG|thumb|Dodge - Kingsway - 1956 - 28 hp - 6 cyl - WBE 1362 - Kolkata 2014-01-19 6408]]
[[File:Fiat - 1954 - 1100 cc - 4 cyl - WBD 8222 - Kolkata 2015-01-11 4097.JPG|thumb|Fiat 1100 Millecento was launched in 1954]]
[[File:Fiat - 1958 - 12 hp - 4 cyl - Kolkata 2014-01-19 6430.JPG|thumb|Fiat 1100 Elegant launched in 1955]]
[[File:Fiat - Millecento - 1959 - 1100 cc - 4 cyl - ORS 5656 - Kolkata 2014-01-19 5876.JPG|thumb|Fiat 1100 Selectin 1958 followed by Super Select]]
The company was established in 1941 and negotiated with [[Chrysler Corporation]] for licenses to build a [[Plymouth (automobile)|Plymouth]] car and a [[Dodge]] truck, sold under the Dodge, Plymouth, [[DeSoto (automobile)|DeSoto]], and [[Fargo (truck)|Fargo]] names starting around 1949. In the early years, quality was considered good by both Chrysler and the Indian Department of Defense.<ref name = "ALL">{{cite web|last=Sealey |first=Mike |url=http://www.allpar.com/world/india.html |title=Chrysler cars of India - Premier Automobiles |publisher=Allpar.com |access-date=2011-01-01}}</ref> In 1949, parts were being made in India, starting with simpler components and gradually building up to more complex pieces. Two companies made parts for these vehicles: Premier and [[Hindustan Motors]] of Calcutta. The early years of Premier and Hindustan were marked by very low sales, due to the size of the market; only about 20,000 vehicles per year were made in India, in 65 different models. To prevent foreign companies from dominating by mass-producing parts to be assembled into cars in India, the government set up steep import duties on imported parts in 1954, allowing Indian parts-makers to survive.<ref name = "ALL"/>

Premier licensed and manufactured a version of the [[Fiat 1100]] D (beginning in 1964 continuing almost unchanged into the late 1990s). The car was initially marketed as a Fiat ("1100 Delight") and subsequently as the [[Premier Padmini]] with a {{Convert|40|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} 1100 [[cubic centimeter|cc]] engine and manufactured at the now defunct [[Kurla]] factory in suburban Mumbai. Later models included the Premier 118NE (named after its 1171 cc [[Nissan A engine#A12|Nissan A12 engine]] and with a transmission from the [[Nissan Cherry]]), a version of the 1960s [[Fiat 124]] built in a then-new (but now defunct) factory at [[Kalyan, India|Kalyan]]. The 118NE was considered a mid-size luxury car in India until the influx of modern cars in the 1990s.

===Liberalisation===

With market liberalisation, Premier teamed up with [[Peugeot]] to build an outdated model of the popular [[Peugeot 309]] in India. Production began in 1998 and initial demand was high. Labour problems and poor dealer service led to problems which were compounded when Premier also aligned themselves with Fiat to manufacture the [[Fiat Uno]]. Peugeot pulled out of the venture around 2000 after only a few thousand cars sold.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} Labour and service issues also plagued the [[Fiat]] venture and a [[strike action|strike]] finally caused that plant to shut around 2001. Fiat and Premier faced severe criticism in media. There were various criminal cases against its promoters and the consumer courts of India were flooded with complaints for non-refund of the car booking. The promoters of Premier Automobiles have also been confronted with criminal cases in various consumer courts of India under section 27 of the Consumer Protection Act. A customer association based at Gujarat-Rajkot called PAL Car Customer Association has made various representations against the Premier Automobiles Ltd.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}

In November 2004, Premier restarted operations by building a small diesel powered [[Van (road vehicle)|van]] called the Sigma.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.premier.co.in/wb/vehicles/sigma-tourist.html | title = Premier Sigma | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091205222642/http://www.premier.co.in/wb/vehicles/sigma-tourist.html | archive-date = 2009-12-05 }}</ref> It was based on a 1980s [[Mitsubishi Varica]] design licensed from [[China Motor Corporation|China Motor]] in [[Taiwan]], originally intended to be fitted with Peugeot's [[PSA TU engine#TUD|TUD5]] [[diesel engine]]. The production version, as finally presented in late 2004, instead had a [[Hindustan Motors|Hindustan]]-built 2-liter Isuzu diesel unit. It has {{convert|58|hp|kW|abbr=on}} and is mated to a four-speed manual gearbox, while the car offers from five to nine seats.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bsmotoring.com/news/premier-sigma-van-diesel/640/1 | title = Premier Sigma - Van Diesel | first = Srinivas | last = Krishnan | date = 2004-11-20 | access-date = 2013-09-21 | publisher = Business Standard Motoring }}</ref> A multitude of other versions have since been developed, and as of December 2009 the engine has been replaced by a 1.5 liter IDI diesel (with or without turbo) or by the CNG-powered 1.8-liter [[List of Isuzu engines#4ZB1|4ZB1]] (both still manufactured by Hindustan).<ref>{{citation | url = http://issuu.com/premierltd/docs/premiersigma | type = brochure | title = Premier Sigma: India's first compact diesel van | publisher = Premier Ltd. | location = Pune, India | year = 2010 }}</ref> The facelift also meant improved suspension.<ref name=HBLp>{{cite web | title = Premier’s Sigma, Roadstar, Rio to hit the road in December | url = http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/bline/2009/11/27/stories/2009112750510300.htm | publisher = The Hindu Business Line | date = 2009-11-25 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130921061518/http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/bline/2009/11/27/stories/2009112750510300.htm | archive-date = 2013-09-21 | url-status = dead }}</ref> There was also a pickup version of the Sigma, called the Premier Roadstar.<ref name=WOC>{{cite book | title = World of Cars 2006·2007 | editor-first = Eligiusz | editor-last = Mazur | publisher = Media Connection Sp. z o.o. | location = Warsaw, Poland | page = 153 | year = 2006 | issn = 1734-2945 }}</ref>

Today, Premier has two business segments: Engineering and Automotive. The Engineering segment has two activities - CNC Machine Division and Engineering while the Automotive segment consists of [[Light Utility Vehicle]]s and [[Sports Utility Vehicle]]s. Originally based in [[Mumbai]], Premier is now located at an [[ISO 9001]] certified plant in [[Chinchwad]], [[Pune]]. Spread over 27 acres, this plant now serves as the centralized research, development and manufacturing for all activities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.premier.co.in/we/corporate.html|title=About Us|work=Premier Ltd.|access-date=14 December 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606150316/http://www.premier.co.in/we/corporate.html|archive-date=6 June 2012}}</ref>

In October 2009, Premier re-entered the Indian passenger vehicle market with a compact SUV named RiO.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.premierrio.com |title=Premier RiO |publisher=Premier RiO |access-date=2011-01-01}}</ref> Rio is assembled from CKD kits of [[Zotye 2008|Zotye Nomad I]] made by [[Zotye International|Zotye Auto]] of China, and went on sale in December 2009.<ref name=HBLp/> This vehicle is itself a poorly built copy of [[Daihatsu]]'s old [[Daihatsu Terios|Terios]] model again from the 1998.

In December 2018 the company filed for bankruptcy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/Auto/09yvO5wYAbWCBhbXvU9cnN/Fiat-Padmini-long-gone-Premier-Ltd-now-faces-bankruptcy.html|title=Fiat Padmini long gone, Premier Ltd now faces bankruptcy|last=Vyas|first=Maulik|date=2018-12-13|website=Mint|language=en|access-date=2019-12-15}}</ref> Production of the Rio has stopped, and the land the Pune factory stands on has been sold.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/technology/auto/end-of-an-era-premier-sells-pune-land-to-runwal-group-4429281.html|title=End of an era: Premier sells Pune land to Runwal Group|website=Moneycontrol|access-date=2019-12-15}}</ref>

==Models==
[[File:Fiat 1100D, Schaffen Diest Fly-Drive 2013.JPG|thumb|Fiat 1100D, which later became the much loved Premier Padmini had a long production run till 2003]]
[[File:1989 Premer 118NE.jpg|thumb|right|Premier 118NE]]
[[File:Premier Rio 2012.JPG|thumb|Premier Rio 2012]]

===Assembled===
[[File:Peugeot 309 front.jpg|thumb|right|Peugeot 309]]
[[File:1992 Fiat Uno.jpg|thumb|Fiat Uno]]
[[File:Fiat 1100-103, 1954.JPG|thumb|Fiat 1100-103, 1954]]
[[File:PremierPadminiTaxi DavidWilmot.jpg|thumb|Premier Padmini Taxi in Mumbai]]
* [[Dodge Kingsway]]
* [[Plymouth Savoy]]
* [[Plymouth Belvedere]]
* [[Fiat 1100]]
* [[Fiat Uno]]
* [[Peugeot 309]]

===Previous models===
There was also Premier President, that lasted for two or three years, while Padmini was transformed from 1100 D
*[[Premier Padmini]] - derived from [[Fiat 1100]]
*[[Fiat 124#India|Premier 118NE]] - derived from [[Fiat 124]]
* Premier Sigma (a compact [[Diesel engine|diesel]] [[Minivan|MPV]])
** Premier Sigma Lifeline (an ambulance based on Sigma Platform)
** Premier Sigma Express (a cargo carrier based on Sigma Platform)
** Premier Sigma School Van (a Diesel or CNG school van based on Sigma Platform)
** Premier Sigma Tourist Van (a Diesel or CNG tourist van based on Sigma Platform)
* [[Daihatsu Terios|Premier Rio]] (India's first [[Mini sport utility vehicle|compact diesel SUV]], rebadged [[Zotye 2008|Zotye Nomad I]])
* Premier Roadstar (a compact diesel pickup)
** Premier Roadstar Tipper (open and closed body tipper)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.premier.co.in Premier Automobiles Limited official website]
*[http://www.premierrio.com Premier RiO Website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130629221623/http://www.premier.co.in/we/automotive-new.html Premier's Vehicle Division Website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091205211815/http://www.premier.co.in/wb/machine-tools.html Premier's Machine Tools Division Website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091205222359/http://www.premier.co.in/wb/engineering.html Premier's Engineering Division Website]
*[http://www.zigwheels.com/Reviews/Premier-Rio-First-Drive/Rio_20091028-1-2 Premier RiO Reviews]
*[http://www.domain-b.com/companies/companies_p/premier_automobiles/20041116_sigma.html Premier Sigma Reviews]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071114092030/http://www.indiacar.com/latest_updates/premier.asp Indiacar.com]

{{Walchand Group}}
{{Automotive industry in India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Car manufacturers of India]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Mumbai]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1944]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1944]]
[[Category:Indian brands]]
[[Category:Walchand Group]]
[[Category:Car brands]]
[[Category:Companies listed on the National Stock Exchange of India]]
[[Category:Companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange]]

Premier (company) - Revision history

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