Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (MSIL) has finally bid good bye to its age-old model Maruti 800 from January this year, though it would make spare parts available for customers for the next 10 years, said the company executive director CV Raman.
"Now on the 18th of January we have stopped the M-800 production completely. We have to keep all of them (dies and moulds) for the spare parts requirement. We have to continuously meet the customer requirements. That is our duty to make sure that they get all the parts," said Raman.
The Maruti 800 was a 1980s vintage Suzuki Alto model and swayed the Indian middle class market as a low-cost model since its debut in 1983 at a cost of Rs.55,000 in Delhi. Owing to higher emission standards in India now, the engine has to be replaced said the company. Now the car is priced Rs.235,000.
"Now on the 18th of January we have stopped the M-800 production completely. We have to keep all of them (dies and moulds) for the spare parts requirement. We have to continuously meet the customer requirements. That is our duty to make sure that they get all the parts," said Raman.
"Our policy is 8 to 10 years we have to keep (the spares available). For all the models which have been phased out till date, we have followed this policy."
The Maruti 800 model became synonymous with Indian middle class that a film by name "Mere Dad ki Maruti" was also made last year, though the model used was Swift in the film.
