At the brand centre of Maruti Suzuki India’s headquarters in South Delhi, among the many modern vehicles on display a tiny 40-year-old white car occupies a prominent space. It is no ordinary car but the first customer unit of the popularly known ‘Maruti 800’ or the M800 model that revolutionised personal mobility in India.
Launched on December 14, 1983 when India was still under the licence raj, M800 was also a witness as well a beneficiary of the economic liberalisation when the country’s economy was opened up in 1991, thus serving as a link between the old and new journey that India undertook.
Lovingly referred to as the ‘people’s car’, M800 shook up then sleepy passenger vehicles market in India, challenging the duopoly of Hindustan Motor’s Ambassador car and Premier Padmini. It soon became the symbol of aspiration for millions of middle class Indians.