Maruti 800: the car that put India on wheels

The Maruti Suzuki 800 was the small car that motorised India. Built from 1983 to 2014, it was based on the Suzuki Alto and stayed the country’s best-selling car until 2004, when the Alto took the title.

Maruti 800 at a glance

History of the Maruti 800

Origins

The project began with Sanjay Gandhi, who had tried his hand at the car business without success before his death in 1980. His mother, Indira Gandhi, wanted to fulfil his dream of an indigenous people’s car and formed Maruti Udyog Ltd a year later; a joint venture agreement with Suzuki was signed on 2 October 1982. The first car was handed over in New Delhi on 14 December 1983, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gave the keys to Harpal Singh, who had won the ownership rights in a lucky draw.

A car for the country

The first generation, the SS80, was based on the 1979 Suzuki Alto and used an 800 cc F8B engine, hence the name. Cars built in the early years were essentially Suzuki components imported from Japan and assembled at the Gurgaon plant. Demand was so strong that buyers waited almost three years after booking, which gave rise to black-market premiums of up to 40%. In the 1980s and early 1990s the name “Maruti” was synonymous with the 800, and the model remained India’s best-selling car until 2004.

Exports and updates

Exports to neighbouring countries began in 1987, followed by a shipment of 500 cars to Hungary, the first arriving on 24 October 1987; Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia came next, then France in 1989 and the Netherlands in 1990, followed by Britain, Malta and Italy. In markets where Japanese cars were subject to quotas the car was sold simply as a Maruti, with all mention of Suzuki removed. The 800 stayed on sale in Italy until 2004, when it no longer met European emissions and safety rules. A cleaner 35 PS version had arrived in August 1992 for Europe.

Long life and phase-out

A full model change in 1986 brought the aerodynamic SB308 body of the second-generation Alto. The next major update came in 1997 with new headlamps, bumpers and dashboard, and in 2000 the engine received fuel injection and four valves per cylinder, giving 46 hp and meeting Euro II. Maruti began phasing the car out in April 2010, stopping sales in 13 major cities that required Euro IV compliance, and replaced it with the Alto 800. The last Maruti Suzuki 800 left the line on 18 January 2014, after 31 years — the second-longest production run of any car in India after the Hindustan Ambassador.

Design and features

• Affordable motoring: the 800 was India’s first modern, affordable people’s car, with front-wheel drive and a level of equipment the Ambassador and Premier Padmini could not match.
• Light and simple: a 650 kg body on 12-inch wheels with an 800 cc three-cylinder engine.
• Continuous updates: a new body in 1986, a facelift in 1997 and fuel injection in 2000 kept the car on sale for three decades.
• Export career: sold as the Suzuki Maruti in Europe and as a plain Maruti where Japanese quotas applied.

Maruti 800 versions

• SS80 (1983): the original car based on the 1979 Suzuki Alto.
• SB308 (1986): the second generation with the aerodynamic body of the 1984 Alto.
• 1997 update: new headlamps, front and rear bumpers, dashboard and the steering wheel from the Zen.
• 2000 MPFI: fuel injection, four valves per cylinder, 46 hp and Euro II compliance.
• Export Maruti: left-hand-drive cars with Suzuki badging removed for quota markets.

The 800 was succeeded in the range by the Maruti Alto, and its engine also powered the Maruti Omni. More cars are in the Maruti collection.

Video: just see the capacity of Maruti 800

Video on YouTube.

Sources

• Maruti 800, English Wikipedia: origins, production, exports, updates, phase-out
• Maruti Suzuki, English Wikipedia: company background, first cars, Gurgaon plant