On 14th December 1983, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi handed over the keys of the first ever Maruti Suzuki 800 to a buyer named Harpal Singh, an Indian Airlines employee, who won the right to become the first owner of the vehicle in a lucky draw. Soon this vehicle became the most popular four-wheeler in the country. There was a time when almost every car owner was driving a Maruti 800. It replaced the Ambassador as the most visible vehicle on the Indian roads.
It was the common man’s car. All those who ever owned a Maruti 800, now have fond memories of driving their children to school, doing shopping, going for picnics, or driving to work in this handy vehicle. The car replaced a scooter or motorcycle as the symbol of prosperity among middle class Indians.
It toppled the reign of the Hindustan Ambassador and defeated the claims of the equally compact Premier Padmini. Back in the 1980s, life in India was led under the thumb of the license Raj and many economic restrictions. Before the Indian economy was opened up, owning a spick and span Maruti 800 became a status symbol.
Status symbol
Where status was concerned, it went to such an extent that the older group of parents who owned a Maruti 800 hoped that they would get better marriage proposals for their children. A shiny, well maintained Maruti would be prominently parked in front of the building as a sign of prosperity to be seen by neighbours and friends. The car stood for a changing and progressive India.
The main reasons for the Maruti 800 to become so popular in India were its affordability, low maintenance costs and fuel efficiency. Its compact size made it very well suited for Indian roads, and the Maruti’s extensive service network contributed to its widespread usage. Moreover, the car’s reliability and ease of driving also played a significant role in its huge success.
Japanese technology
Another advantage that it had was the fact that it came equipped with Japanese technology. It had that touch of foreign expertise which Indians admired. It had a price tag of only Rs 48,000 when it first hit the Indian roads. Therefore, it was within the reach of many middle class families even though salaries were far lower than they are today.
Within two years of the launch of the Maruti 800, total car sales doubled throughout the country. Within the first three years, about 1.5 lakh vehicles had been sold. Many more people owned cars than in the earlier years. But this had some side effects such as more traffic congestion on the roads.
As the name suggests, the Maruti 800 had 800 cc engine and was widely considered to be the most sold automobile in India. About 2.87 million Maruti 800s were produced between 1983 and 2014. Over a period of 31 years, the car became the second longest-produced car in India, next only to the evergreen Ambassador.
But nothing lasts forever. From about 2004, the sales began going downhill. As Indians became more prosperous and had more money to spend, they began looking at more expensive vehicles. The compact and reliable Maruti 800 began to die a slow death. In November 2008 sales touched an all time low of 2000 units only.
New emission norms created difficulty
More stringent and tighter emission norms (Bharat Stage IV) were difficult to meet by sticking to the old formula and the manufacturers began to phase down the production of the once popular vehicle. Maruti Alto became the preferred alternative. Technology keeps improving every year and it was incredible that the Maruti 800 held its position for so many years.
Discontinued from this year
Now this once iconic vehicle is very rarely seen on Indian roads. Production has been discontinued but a few old models may still be found trundling along – driven by an owner who refuses to part with his old and faithful companion. The first owner Harpal Singh stayed loyal to his Maruti 800 car (number DIA 6479) till the day he died in 2010.
But the prosperous young generation wants to buy cars with advanced new features. After four decades, the Maruti 800 which provided mobility to lakhs of Indians has left us with many fond memories of family outings and happy times.
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