THE URBAN LEGEND WHO RULE INDIA FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS Maruti 800: Then - Now - Forever

THE TRUE LEGEND 

Growing up, the word car could only mean 3 things, The Hindustan Ambassador, Fiat Premier Padmini or the Maruti 800. And lets be honest, we all wanted ours to mean the 800. It is a car which has literally carried us when we were infants and is still carrying us when we have grown a generation older. It has outlived many of its owners and is still running with the new generation.

Over a period of 30 years, 2.87 million cars were produced in India out of which 2.66 million were sold inside the country. Rest were exported to South Asia mainly in Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Maruti 800 was also sold as Suzuki Maruti in Morocco and selected European markets.

Maruti 800 was first introduced in India in the year 1983 when on 14th Dec during a grand ceremony, Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi handed over the keys of India’s first Maruti 800 to Mr. Harpal Singh, who won the lucky draw to be India’s first Maruti 800 owner.

HISTORY

The first model SS80 was based on the 1979 Suzuki Fronte which had a 800 cc F8B engine. All the later models were based on the same platform with the only major change coming 3 years later in 1986. The Maruti 800 CB72 had some major and much needed changes from the the original SS80. It then continued selling for 11 long years without any problems and with the maruti network growing, people just kept on buying it. 11 years later came the facelift and another variant with a 5 speed gearbox and a fuel injected engine which produced 45 HP, 8 more than than the old CB72. The last of the Maruti 800’s was the 4 speed, 3 cylinder, 796cc car which had fuel injection to meet the new regulations. After this Maruti decided that they will no longer invest to update the 800 to meet the coming government regulations of Euro IV and then soon phased out the legand.

TRUST

Maruti has been carrying india on wheels since 1983. it was the perfect new car for India and even now it is the perfect first car. It is light, small, agile, simple and durable. The 800 could withstand all Indian climates, roads and conditions and still keep going. With the prices starting from Rs 2.1 Lac onwards for a new car and going down upto Rs 25,000 for a use one, the Maruti 800 was affordable to buy and run.

EVOLUTION

1. MARUTI 800 SS80:  

The beginning of the legend in 1983. This car was simple, light and small. The boot was accessible through the rear glass which acted as the lid.

Year	1983 - 1986
Build	Monocoque Chassis, Front wheel drive
Engine	3 cylinder, 796cc, carburetted
Power	39 BHP @ 6000 RPM
Torque	59 Nm @ 3500 RPM
Weight	620 Kg
0-100 kmph	21 secs (Approx)
Top Speed	120 kmph
Price When Launched	Rs 48,000

2. MARUTI 800 CB72

The first and only major change in the line of the Maruti 800 which continued to sell successfully for 11 years making it the best selling car till 2004 after which it lost its title to the Alto 800.

Year	1986 - 1997
Build	Monocoque Chassis, Front wheel drive
Engine	3 cylinder, 796cc, carburetted
Power	39 BHP @ 6000 RPM
Torque	59 Nm @ 3500 RPM
Weight	620 Kg
0-100 kmph	21 secs (Approx)
Top Speed	120 kmph

3. MARUTI 800 5-Speed / MPFI

This car was a limited edition and is very rare. It had a 5-speed manual gearbox which was an update from the old 4-speed and had fuel injection to meet the government norms. This model also featured the new facelift with new bumpers, headlights, tail lights, seats and dashboard graphics.

Year	1997 - 1999
Build	Monocoque Chassis, Front wheel drive
Engine	3 cylinder, 796cc, Fuel Injection
Weight	640 Kg
0-100 kmph	22 secs (Approx)
Top Speed	120 kmph
Price When Launched	Rs 2.09 Lakhs

4. MARUTI 800 4-SPEED MPFI

This is the latest Facelift in the maruti 800 family. It featured all the later variants including the AC LPG.

Year	1999 - 2008
Build	Monocoque Chassis, Front wheel drive
Engine	3 cylinder, 796cc, MPFI
Weight	650 Kg
0-100 kmph	20 secs (Approx)
Top Speed	137 kmph
Price When Launched	Rs 2.56 lakhs

This is the last model of the Maruti 800. this is the car maruti finally decided to retire in 2014. It had the same engine and produced 37 BHP. The car was sold for Rs 2.06 - 2.28 lakhs

The Maruti 800 still remains the second highest production car of India after the Hindustan Ambassador. The only car which has had the same kind of customer response is the Alto 800. It stole the title of the best selling car from the Maruti 800 early in 2004 and still remains the best alternative for the legendary MARUTI 800.

Amidst all the glitz and glamour of the Auto Expo, Maruti Suzuki India puts brakes on the Maruti 800 model. The glorious saga of the Maruti 800 goes back to 1983 when its first ever model took the Indian roads by storm. The inconic car brand sold more than 2.5 million Maruti 800s since its launch. The small vehicle, which was tagged 'the matchbox' by owners of Ambassadors and Premier Padmini, has been a loyal carrier for millions of Indian middle class families. Those born in the '90s would know how their parents cherished the Maruti 800. From playing in our family's first car to learning how to drive after turning 18, the Maruti 800 is something that we've practically grown up in.

The last Maruti 800 was manufactured in Gurgaon on January 18. At a price of Rs50,000 at the time of its launch, Maruti 800 held its own on Indian roads that were dominated by Premier Padminis, Ambassadors and others back then. For a long long time, Maruti 800 was the main money maker for Maruti Suzuki India. Despite needing a push in the winter season, Maruti 800 showed great resilience to competition because of its sentimental connect with people. Don't you remember how sad daddy was while selling his first Maruti 800 for a better model?

CV Raman, Executive Director MSIL, said though the car production has come to a screeching halt, spare parts will be available for customers for the next 8 to ten years as per rules.

The car, that was a breadwinner for many MSL dealers across the country and also first car for many Indian middle class families, may not be available in newer version unlike other MSIL brands.

"Now on the 18th of January we have stopped the M-800 production completely. We have to keep all of them (dies and moulds) for the spare parts requirement. We have to continuously meet the customer requirements. That is our duty to make sure that they get all the parts," Raman told reporters on the sidelines of launch of its new hatchback Celerio.

The many hatchbacks, sedans and SUVs that rule Indian roads now have some large shoes to fill when compared to our childhood friend Maruti 800. Here are 10 fond memories of the car that continues to hold a special place in our hearts.

1: We learnt how to drive in a Maruti 800: Most of us who grew up in the '90s owe their driving skills to the Maruti 800. Seeing teenagers learn how to drive on Santros and Wagon Rs makes us think if they'll ever be able to handle the wheel the way we did. Because nothing tests your skills like learning how to drive without a power steering.

2: We had to push the car in the winter as it won't start: Yes, the Maruti 800 had its cute, little quirks too. Like us, the car also found it a tad difficult to start in the cold, winter mornings. Again, like us, all it needed was a little push to take the road ahead.

3: The AC wasn't as powerful as the ones today and we enjoyed the wind in our hair while driving this four-wheeler: It was a simpler time. There was really no way of escaping the harsh sun back in the day. Even though there was an AC in the deluxe model of Maruti 800, it wasn't powerful enough to combat the heat. But heck, the times we've driven with the windows down and enjoyed the fresh air was totally worth it.

4: All our seven family members would somehow find room in this small car and go for picnics: Face it, it was the Maruti 800 that brought middle class families close to each other. Sitting on each other's laps or uncomfortably squeezing into an inch of space to spend some quality time with one another at India Gate was an out-of-this-world experience thanks to the Maruti 800.

5: We used to play in the car as it used to be parked in our playing space: Raise your hands if you grew up playing in that empty parking space outside your apartment! After the Maruti 800 came into the picture, things slightly changed. It used our playing, sorry parking, space and served as a play area for many years.

6: No fancy sunroof can even come close to the experience of sitting in the boot with our legs out and the boot door open in a running Maruti 800: Maruti 800s owned the roads and riding in them, so did we. The laws back then were also not so strict and we managed to enjoy an open-boot ride every now and then.

7: Ambassador owners would mock at us for driving around a 'matchbox': Wasn't it such fun to be mocked at by Ambassador owners who called our first Maruti 800 a 'matchbox'.

8: We wanted to buy the red Maruti 800 after growing up, it was an object of desire back then: We remember how most of us had bought the white Maruti 800 and only a few had the red one. Well, not less than the Ferrari in terms of being desirable, we all had wished to own at least one as an adult.

9: One Maruti 800 car key could open another 800 too: How many of you remember accidently sitting in another person's Maruti 800 in the Sarojini parking lot?

10: Owners of earlier Maruti 800s that were made using Japanese parts looked down upon owners of the full-fledged desi versions: Well, before the BMWs and Skodas, it was the early Maruti 800 owners who would had a superiority complex of sorts. We can never forget how they would throw in the 'imported' word for their Maruti models that consisted of Japanese parts and look down upon owners of pure, desi versions of the same.