2/14/26, 3:38 PM Maruti 800 - Wikipedia
Maruti 800
The Maruti Suzuki 800 is a city car that was
manufactured by Maruti Suzuki in India from Maruti Suzuki 800
1983 to 2014.[1][2] The first generation (SS80) was
based on the 1979 Suzuki Alto and had an 800 cc
F8B engine, hence the moniker. Widely regarded
as the most influential automobile in India, about
2.87 million 800s were produced during its course
of which 2.66 million were sold in India itself.[3]
Produced for 31 years, the Maruti Suzuki 800
remains the second longest production car in
India, second only to the Hindustan Ambassador.
Maruti Suzuki 800, the model after the 2003
Origins upgrade
Overview
Sanjay Gandhi tried his hand at the car business Manufacturer Maruti Suzuki
unsuccessfully before his tragic death in 1980. His
Also called Suzuki Alto
mother Indira Gandhi wanted to fulfill Sanjay's
Suzuki Mehran (Pakistan)
dream of an indigenous people's car and formed
Suzuki Maruti (Export)
Maruti Udyog Ltd a year later. A joint venture
Suzuki Alto Spirit (Europe)
agreement was signed with Suzuki on 2 October
Production 1983–2014
1982.[4]
Assembly India: Haryana, Gurgaon
Body and chassis
History Class City car
Body style 5-door hatchback
Layout Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
Related Suzuki Fronte
Powertrain
Engine Gasoline:
796 cc F8B I3 (1983-2014)
First generation Maruti Suzuki 800 DX 796 cc F8D I3 (2000-2003)
Transmission 4-Speed Manual
In the 1980s and early 1990s, the name "Maruti" 3-Speed Automatic
was synonymous with the Maruti Suzuki 800. It 5-Speed Manual
remained the best-selling car in India until 2004, Dimensions
when the Maruti Suzuki Alto[5] took the title. It
Wheelbase 2,175 mm (85.6 in)
was also exported to a number of countries in
South Asia including Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Length 3,335 mm (131.3 in)
Lanka and was also available in Morocco and Width 1,440 mm (56.7 in)
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selected European markets, often sold as the Height 1,405 mm (55.3 in)
Suzuki Maruti. In an elaborate ceremony held in Curb weight 620–655 kg (1,367–1,444 lb)
New Delhi on 14 December 1983, then Prime
Chronology
Minister Indira Gandhi handed over the keys of
the very first car to Mr. Harpal Singh (S/O Haridas Successor Maruti Suzuki Alto 800
Singh), who won the ownership rights through a
lucky draw. The original 800 was based on the Suzuki Fronte SS80, but a modernized
aerodynamic version using the body of the second-generation Alto (SB308) was presented in late
1986. The introduction of this car revolutionized the automotive industry in India. From its
inception, it was considered as the first affordable people's car, the first modern era front wheel
drive and high speed small contemporary vehicle, and the only reasonably modern car available in
India, the incumbent mainstay Hindustan Ambassador and Premier Padmini being based on long-
obsolete 1950s designs. The delivery was against bookings done directly with Maruti Udyog
Limited (A Govt. of India undertaking). The prospective owner would then have to wait for almost
three years after booking till delivery. Such extended waiting times gave rise to some people
indulging into black marketing and earning premiums as much as 40%. Cars produced during the
early years were essentially Suzuki OEM components imported from Japan and merely assembled
by Maruti Udyog Limited at the Gurgaon plant.
Exports to neighboring countries commenced in 1987, and
were followed by a shipment of 500 cars to Hungary, with
the first car arriving on 24 October 1987.[6] Soon, exports
to Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia followed, two other
markets with less restrictive homologation requirements
than Western Europe. After successes there, and in spite of
Suzuki's objections, Maruti Suzuki tackled more
competitive markets and entered France in 1989, the
Netherlands in 1990, followed by England, Malta, and
Italy.[7] In markets where Japanese cars had a quota, the
A left hand drive second gen Maruti
800 was sold as a Maruti, with all mention of Suzuki Suzuki 800 with the 1995-1997 grille.
carefully removed – even the user manuals were revised, so
as not to fall afoul of the quota requirements.[7] The 800
continued to be sold in Italy and other Western European markets until 2004, when it no longer
met emissions and safety requirements.[8] The Maruti Suzuki had never been equipped with seat
belts until exports began, meaning that such parts originally had to be imported from Japan to be
fitted to export market cars, as with everything relating to building left-hand-drive cars.[6] The
Maruti also got its first catalytic converter to meet European requirements. The cleaner 35 PS
(26 kW) version first arrived in August 1992 and was originally reserved for Europe.[9]
Suzuki in Japan wanted to end production of the 800 and replace it with the Maruti Suzuki Zen. In
1993 Suzuki royalties for the 800 would end, meaning Maruti Suzuki had no incentive to keep
making the car. In the end, a compromise was reached where Suzuki would continue to get a small
royalty and they agreed to make small improvements to keep the 800 relevant in the market. The
first major update was in 1997 with new headlamps, front and rear bumpers, a new dashboard and
the steering wheel from the Zen. In 2000, the engine got fuel injection with 4 valves per cylinder.
This gave more power (46HP/35kW) and also meant it met new Euro II emissions standards.[10]
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Phase-out
Maruti Suzuki had begun a phase-out of the 800 beginning in April 2010, as they did not have
plans to upgrade it to Euro IV or BS IV emission norms, instead choosing to replace it with the
second generation Alto 800 in India. Starting in April 2010, Maruti halted sales of the car in 13
major cities: the four metros of Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and 9 other cities including
Kanpur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Agra and Surat, where the law made it
mandatory for the vehicles sold to be Euro IV compliant.
Another reason cited was the relatively outdated model's declining sales. Maruti Suzuki 800 sales
were down by 3.7% in April 2010, when compared with April 2009. Total sales of Maruti Suzuki
800 was 33028 for the period April 2009 to March 2010.[11] The Indian Automobile industry is the
seventh largest in the world, with an annual production of over 4 million vehicles and exports of
about 600,000.[12] In 2009, India emerged as Asia's fourth largest exporter of automobiles, behind
Japan, South Korea and Thailand.[13]
The last Maruti Suzuki 800 rolled off the production line
on 18 January 2014.
Changes
After a full model change in 1986, the 800 underwent
some minor facelifts but overall it still remained similar as
it was on introduction. The car produces approximately 37
Rear view of an export spec Maruti
brake horsepower (28 kW; 38 PS) and runs on 12-inch
Suzuki 800 in Italy with a rear wiper and
wheels. Kerb weight is 650 kilograms (1,433 lb) and it can rear foglamp.
seat five passengers including the driver. Maruti Suzuki
had earlier launched a version with a twelve-valve version
of the engine producing 45 bhp (34 kW; 46 PS) and
coupled with a five-speed manual transmission (currently
found in the Suzuki Alto), but discontinued it after a couple
of years. The second generation Maruti Suzuki 800 that
was produced from 1986 to 1997 underwent some changes
in its appearance. The original grille that was introduced in
1986 was a horizontal slat grille with 'Maruti 800'
monogram at the right hand corner. This grille was
replaced by a mesh grille with the Maruti Logo on the
centre in October 1994. Also, the bonnet opener that was First Facelift (second gen) – A Feb 1987
placed on the bonnet was replaced by an ejection button model of Maruti Suzuki 800 (bottle green)
inside of the car. The hubcaps were also changed from the in India
shiny silver ones to plastic ones. Several new colours were
also introduced, such as Maruti Green, St Germaine Red,
Pearl White, and Neptune Blue.
A Euro III emission-compliant version of the car was released in 2005 to meet Indian emissions
regulations. An LPG version of the vehicle was also released in 2008. As of September 2009, the
company has yet to reach a decision regarding the manufacture of a Euro IV-compliant version of
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the vehicle because
it would increase
the retail price.
However even
stricter emissions
regulations which
came into effect by
April 2010, would
mandate Euro IV
compliance in
Side/rear view of Maruti Suzuki 800 First facelift (second gen) - A 1994 Maruti
SB308 (second gen) in India
major Indian cities 800 in Meadow Green, the final year for
including Delhi, the horizontal slat grille.
Mumbai,
Hyderabad and
Bangalore and
2015–2016 for the
remainder of the
country. By 2005,
Maruti Suzuki had
planned to phase
out the 800 around
5 Speed 12 Valve MPI Decal
2010, but it was
still on sale in
October 2011. [14][15] Its main competitor is the less A 2000 Maruti 800 5 Speed in Metallic
expensive Tata Nano (123,000 compared to 184,641 Exotique Green
rupees) which has an 8 percent smaller exterior size and a
noisier engine with less torque. In 2011, Maruti Suzuki
declared it would relaunch the 800 with a new version
compliant with Euro IV emission norms to tap into the
small car market and compete with the Tata Nano.
However, Maruti Suzuki later decided to phase out the
model instead as it was not deemed feasible.[16]
Milky White Type 1 vs California Gold
Technical specifications Type 2
Dimensions and weights
Front track width: 1215 mm (47.835 in)
Rear track width: 1200 mm (47.244 in)
Ground clearance: 160 mm (6.3 in)
Gross vehicle weight: 1,000 kg (2,205 lb)
Capacities
Seating capacity: 5 passengers
Fuel tank capacity: 28 L (7.4 US gal)
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Engine oil: ~1.5L including oil filter
Transmission oil: ~2.1L
Coolant: 2L
Windscreen Washer Fluid: 1.75L
Engine
The 800 is equipped with a 796 cc (49 cu in) Inline 3-
cylinder 4-stroke petrol engine from the Suzuki F family. It Maruti Suzuki 800 in Europe. Rear view
features 2 valves per cylinder with a single overhead cam, of facelifted 800, with a reshaped trunk lid
and 8.7:1 compression ratio. The original engine option and taillights, and license plate moved
was the carbureted F8B engine, which later was offered in down into the bumper
MPFI form. The updated 4 valve per cylinder F8D MPFI
was introduced concurrently with the Alto in 2000 to
comply with BSES and was able to achieve up to the BSIII standard. An LPG version of the F8B
was later offered as it complied with BSIII standards.
Year of
Power Torque Valves
production
39.5 horsepower (29.5 kW)
F8B Carb 58 N⋅m (43 lb⋅ft) — 1983-2003
@5500rpm
59 N⋅m (44 lb⋅ft)
F8B MPFI 37 horsepower (28 kW) @5500rpm 6 2000-2014
@2500rpm
F8B MPFI 35.5 horsepower (26.5 kW) 57 N⋅m (42 lb⋅ft)
2008-2014
LPG @5000rpm @2500rpm
62 N⋅m (46 lb⋅ft)
F8D MPFI 47 horsepower (35 kW) @6200rpm 12 2000-2003
@3000rpm
Transmission
The original F8B engine was offered with a 4-speed manual, and later an optional 3-speed
automatic. The updated F8D engine was offered exclusively with a 5-speed manual transmission
borrowed from the Maruti 1000/Esteem. All models are front wheel drive.
Performance
Engine Transmission Top Speed 0-100 km/h
F8B Carb/MPFI 4-Speed Manual 144+ km/h (89+ mph) 12 sec
F8B Carb 3-Speed Automatic 137+ km/h (85+ mph) 20 sec
F8D MPFI 5-Speed Manual 150+ km/h (93+ mph) 14.5 sec
Fuel economy
Mileage highway: 20 km/L (5.0 L/100 km; 47 mpg‑US)
Mileage city: 16.2 km/L (6.2 L/100 km; 38 mpg‑US)
Mileage overall: 20.9 km/L (4.8 L/100 km; 49 mpg‑US)
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Suspension
Front suspension: MacPherson strut with coil spring
Rear suspension: Rigid Axle with Coil/Leaf spring and Gas-filled Shock Absorbers
Steering
Steering type: Rack and pinion (Without Power Steering)
Minimum turning radius: 4.42 m (14.5 ft)
Brakes
Front brakes: Solid Disc
Rear brakes: Leading Trailing Drum
Brake mechanism: Hydraulic, power brakes in 5 speed and mpfi 4 speed
Wheels and tyres
Tyres (radial optional): 145/70(R) 12
See also
Maruti Suzuki Alto
Maruti Suzuki Zen
References
1. Kalavalapalli, Yogendra (7 February 2014). "Maruti Suzuki stops production of iconic 800" (http
s://[Link]/web/20231223053401/[Link]
wSi4ZUX5BK/[Link]). [Link]. Archived from
the original ([Link]
[Link]) on 23 December 2023.
2. "This Day in History! Birth of Iconic Maruti 800: Rs 47,000 'people's car' scripted India's ace
carmaker's success" ([Link]
of-iconic-maruti-800-rs-47000-peoples-car-scripted-indias-ace-carmakers-success-esteem-alto
-vitara-brezza-gypsy-journey-indira-gandhi/2149691/). Financialexpress. 14 December 2020.
Retrieved 17 June 2025.
3. "End of the road for India's beloved Maruti 800" ([Link]
[Link]
800/[Link]). HT. 8 February 2012. Archived from the original ([Link]
[Link]/autos/htauto-topstories/maruti-bids-quite-farewell-to-the-maruti-800/article1-1181
[Link]) on 8 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
4. Hormazd Sorabjee (18 December 2023). "The car that sparked India's automobile revolution"
([Link]
[Link]). Hindustan Times. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
5. "Maruti 800 price, Maruti 800 Reviews" ([Link]
d-maruti-800-price/). [Link]. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
6. Bhargava, R. C.; Seetha (2010). The Maruti Story. Noida, India: Collins Business. p. 111.
ISBN 9788172237806.
7. Bhargava, pp. 115–116
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8. Bhargava, pp. 116–117
9. Quattroruote: Tutte le Auto del Mondo 1994 (in Italian). Milano: Editoriale Domus S.p.A. 1994.
p. 265.
10. "Maruti 800 - Peoples Car of India | Gone but Not Forgotten - Episode 4 | 2021 | evo India" (htt
ps://[Link]/watch?v=wIUzMzXzyxs). YouTube. 12 August 2021.
11. "Maruti suzuki to sales in April 2010" ([Link]
[Link]/[Link]). Archived from the original ([Link]
[Link]/[Link]) on 11 May 2013. Retrieved
10 May 2010.
12. "SIAM statistics" ([Link]
ts/[Link]). SIAM. Archived from the original ([Link]
[Link]) on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
13. Nair, Vipin V. (7 September 2009). "Suzuki, Hyundai's Indian Car Exports Beat China's" (http
s://[Link]/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aO9LxvSmKTzE). [Link].
Retrieved 1 September 2010.
14. "New-look Maruti 800 to cost more; Euro III version being rolled out" ([Link]
eb/20100116171944/[Link]
[Link]). Hindu Business Line. Archived from the original ([Link]
m/2005/01/26/stories/[Link]) on 16 January 2010. Retrieved 2 October
2009.
15. "Maruti mulls smarter, greener 800" ([Link]
er-greener-800/518914/). [Link]. 19 September 2009. Retrieved 24 October
2009.
16. Sirish (23 March 2009). "Tata Nano First Drive at Overdrive" ([Link]
v=xr19m8tRZ4g). Overdrive. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
External links
Maruti 800 ([Link]
Retrieved from "[Link]
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