liberalisation of the Indian economy in 1991, which allowed foreign car manufacturers to launch operations in India, began the end for the Padmini. In 1996, Premier tried to revive the car's sagging fortunes with an updated model. Named the Padmini S1, this had a more modern radiator grille, bucket seats, a Nissan floor-shift synchronised gearbox and a more powerful engine thanks to a Solex carburetor and use of a thermostat-controlled electric fan with an output of . A diesel variant, the 137D, was also introduced, with the hope of taking advantage of the rising popularity of diesel vehicles in India. Its engine was built under license from Fratelli Negri Macchine Diesel Sud (FNM), Italy, with a displacement of 1,366 cc and generating . Its top speed was close to 140 km/h, and its fuel efficiency was 24 km/L. Production was shut down because of PAL's management problems. While all cars built by Premier were four-door sedans, small companies such as Starline also offered other bodywork, mainly in the form of estates. In the 2010s numerous examples served as taxicabs in Mumbai, though these were being phased out due to regulations enacted in 2013 by the government disallowing vehicles over 20 years old. Many of these taxis now run on CNG for fuel economy. Gallery See also Premier Automobiles Limited Premier Padmini, a Kannada language film of same name Pannaiyarum Padminiyum, a film in which the story is about the car and a family References External links Premier Padminis at Sholavaram race track Fiat Club of Bangalore Fiat Club of Hyderabad Cars of India Cars introduced in 1964 Walchand Group