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This article was first published 10 years ago

Final Maruti 800 rolls out; spare parts available for 8-10 yrs

February 14, 2014 14:31 IST


Photographs: Courtesy, India Autos Blog

The car that made hatchbacks endearing to Indians has rolled out of the assembly line for the very last time.

A ‘Firebrick Red’ Maruti 800 rolled out after final checks on January 18th, 2014.

Over 2.5 million units of the icon were sold in its lifetime.

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Final Maruti 800 rolls out; spare parts available for 8-10 yrs


Photographs: Courtesy, Maruti Suzuki

The first-ever Maruti 800 was delivered in 1983 to a couple in New Delhi and a full 31 years later, the final Maruti 800 was sent from its manufacturing site in Gurgaon to a dealership in Shillong.

Over the years, the Maruti 800 has undergone a sea of changes, but a change in emission norms in India dealt the final blow.

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Final Maruti 800 rolls out; spare parts available for 8-10 yrs


Photographs: Courtesy, Maruti Suzuki

After BS IV norms were adopted in the country’s major cities in April 2010, the car was discontinued from sale in 13 cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.

Till the final rollout of BS III norms came into effect across the country, the 800 was sold.

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Final Maruti 800 rolls out; spare parts available for 8-10 yrs


Photographs: Courtesy, Maruti Suzuki

Even in its final year, the Maruti 800 proved to be quite a value-for-money buy as it sold 20,754 units, roughly 2,000 units more than what aimed to be the next mass car for India, the Tata Nano that sold 18,447 units.

The company says that spare parts for the car will be available for 8-10 more years.

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Final Maruti 800 rolls out; spare parts available for 8-10 yrs


Photographs: Courtesy, Maruti Suzuki

Maruti 800 instantly became the real hearthrob of the entire nation. It worked wonders for Maruti and made it a household name.

When launched in 1983, the car came for Rs 50,000 and it was selling for Rs 235,000 before the production halted.

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Final Maruti 800 rolls out; spare parts available for 8-10 yrs


Photographs: Courtesy, Maruti Suzuki

Memoirs & Milestones

  • M800 launched in December 1983 at around Rs 50,000
  • Sold around 850 units in first year of production in a market of 40,000 passenger vehicles
  • Sales grew steadily through 1980-1990s to a peak of 20,701 units in March 2003. Cumulative sales stand at 2.7 million units
  • The first car to be sold in India was purchased by Harpal Singh, an Indian Airlines employee from New Delhi, who won the ownership rights to the car by competing against others in a lucky draw. He was handed over the keys of his dream machine by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
  • Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar are among the millions who own M800 in India
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