Maruti 800 is a small-town car that was manufactured by Maruti Suzuki in India from 1983 to 18 January 2014. The first generation (SS80) was based on the 1979 Suzuki Fronte and had an 800 cc F8B engine, for Therefore the nickname. Widely regarded as the most influential automobile in India, about 2.87 million 800 were produced during its course of which 2.66 million were sold in India itself. With more than 30 years of production, Maruti 800 remains the second longest production car in India, alongside Hindustan ambassador. It is affectionately called as, "The car that put India on wheels".
History
In the 1980s and early 1990s, the name "Maruti" was synonymous with the Maruti 800. It was still the best selling car in India until 2004, when the Maruti Alto took the title. It was also exported to several countries in South Asia including Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and was also available in Morocco and selected European markets sold as the Suzuki Maruti. At an elaborate ceremony held in New Delhi on December 14, 1983, then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi handed the keys to the first car to Mr. Harpal Singh, who won property rights through a raffle. The original 800 was based on the Suzuki Fronte SS80, but a modernized aerodynamic version with the second-generation Alto body (SB308) was introduced in late 1986. The introduction of this car did not revolutionize the automotive industry in India. Since its inception, it was regarded as the first affordable automobile of the people, the first wheel of the front wheel of the modern era and the contemporary high speed vehicle. The delivery was against reservations made directly with Maruti Udyog Limited (a government company of India). The proud owner would have to wait almost 3 years after booking until delivery. Such large waiting times led to some people indulging in black marketing and earning bonuses up to 40%. The cars produced during the early years were essentially OEM Suzuki components imported from Japan and simply assembled by Maruti Udyog Limited at the Gurgaon plant.