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In an honour that can only be described as significant, India's very first Maruti 800 has received global recognition from FIVA, the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens, as a vehicle of immense historical importance. And while the humble little Maruti might not immediately spring to mind when you think of the world's most important automobiles, there is a very strong argument to be made that this particular car deserves every bit of the recognition it has just received.
Because sometimes, the most important cars in automotive history aren't the fastest, the most expensive or the most beautiful. Sometimes, they're the ones that change an entire country. And that is exactly what the Maruti 800 did by putting India on 4 wheels more successfully than any other car before it.
While FIVA could have chosen a fancy Rolls-Royce, or an art-deco masterpiece from the 30s, or some German superstar, all of which exist in India, the choice to award the first ever 800 is seen as an important step in recognition of Indian made cars, specifically for the Indian market, getting their true recognition.
The car in question is DIA 6479, the first Maruti 800 that was ever sold to a member of the public, Mr.Harpal Singh from Delhi on December 14, 1983. The keys to the said car were handed to Mr.Singh by the then PM of India, Indira Gandhi. Bearing chassis number SS80F-IN-100014, this was the first production car too, with chassis numbers 1-12 being pre-production cars or test beds, and chassis number 13 rumored to have never been made due to superstition according to some insider Maruti sources.
At the time, the price of the Maruti 800 was Rs 50,000, a figure that might seem relatively cheap for today’s day and age but was a princely sum of money in 1983. In fact, such was the demand for the car that dealers and individuals alike would offer a 100% premium over the cost price of the car to buy it from you.
The car remained with Mr. Harpal Singh and then his family for nearly 27 years and was sold back to Maruti after his death. The car was then restored in New Delhi back to original specification and currently is housed in Maruti headquarter’s lobby where it proudly gets a priority position over all the new cars that surround it.
This however isn’t the only award the 800 has received in recent times. The car was also showcased at the 2024 Oberoi Concours d’elegance in Udaipur, where its made its first public appearance in well over a decade and was awarded a second place trophy in its class. In fact, after the dust settled, Arjun Oberoi, head of the Oberoi Group was so excited by the car that he requested a short drive in it too, bringing back a flood of memories from his childhood.
DIA being recognised for FIVA is a milestone moment for India’s motoring heritage.The recognition comes courtesy of the newly instituted FIVA World Vehicle Heritage Award, and is an initiative that celebrates an automobile for its importance beyond the usual aspects of rarity and monetary value.
The award is also one that is recognised by UNESCO that believes that the automotive heritage of a country is as important as architecture, art, historical artifacts, etc. And in terms of an automotive impact, no other car in India has done more for India’s freedom of movement on 4-wheels than the Maruti 800 has.
The nomination for this particular car was submitted by the Classic Drivers Club (CDC), India's FIVA-authorised National Authority, proposing it as India's first National Heritage Vehicle under the new initiative. The inaugural FIVA World Vehicle Heritage Awards has also recognised 21 other vehicles from around the world including the likes of absolute legends like the Shelby Daytona from the United States.
Now, a little footnote. I have always had a love-love relationship with the Maruti 800. My family has always had one, since the day it was launched and I continue the tradition. My paternal grandfather was lucky enough to have been delivered one of the first cars in Bombay - MAS 720, and the sunday morning and pre-school drives with him are forever etched in my memory. My maternal grandfather, on the other hand, got his 800 in 1989. That car was the car my mother, my younger brother, and I learnt how to drive on. It then became my little autocross race car, going through different iterations till finally corrosion and terminal rust forced me to scrap it just a few weeks ago with a very very heavy heart.
But my tryst with the 800 is greater. I mentioned above how the first ever 800, DIA 6479 went to the Oberoi Concours d’elegance and won an award. The car was then represented jointly by Maruti Suzuki and yours truly, an absolute red letter moment for me personally to represent a car of this historical importance on a global showcase stage with some of the best historical automobiles our country has to offer. The love for the 800 also led me to one of the greatest barnfinds of my life, a 10000km original 1986 car that can only be described as a time capsule! And while you can read all about is HERE, the recognition for the Maruti 800 on an international stage will finally mean actual REAL recognition for the SS80 and eventually early SB308s as important cars in our country’s motoring history.
