The first ever Maruti 800 sold in India was bout by Mr. Harpal Singh, an Indian Airlines employee. The keys to India’s first Maruti 800 were handed over by the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi.
That is Mr Harpal Singh receiving keys to the first Maruti 800. The car was famous among car enthusiasts for a long time, and was a feature in Delhi, where it was parked outside Harpal Singh's gate
That is Mr Harpal Singh at gateway of India, one of the earliest photos of the car in India. Mr Singh passed away in 2010. After his death, the car was basically abandoned as there was no one to take care of it.
News of the car in disrepair spread, and after a few years, Maruti Suzuki acquierd the car from the family. Afterwards, the company painfully restored the car back to factory condition. It is now on display at the maruti HQ in Delhi.
This is what India's first Maruti 800 looks like now! Sweet, isn't it?
Four decades after it was launched, the first ever Maruti 800 lives again. We have a set of images of the restored 800 for you.
This is what the car looks like from the rear. The bumper, bonnet, headlamps, and turn indicators were all replaced. Many rusted panels were removed and replaced by Maruti as part of the project.
Here is the fully restored interior. the interior does look charming. Even the instrument cluster has been restored. It is extremely basic by today's standards, of course. But if you can own one, do it ti own a piece of history!
The spanking-new rear seat of the Maruti 800. The upholstery of the car was redone by Maruti. There is a chequered fabric in the middle with leatherette on the sides. The red piping on the seat gives it a retro look.
Here is a Related Maruti 800 story for you: