Team-BHP - Maruti 800 ends 21 year long reign!!

Move over 800, the Alto is here. After 21 long years of virtually unchallenged leadership at the very top, India's largest selling model finally had to give way to its younger sibling - The Maruti Alto. While some may have thought it impossible to move the 800 from position no.1 (very recently touching the 20,000/month mark), Maruti has done it again. Smartly reducing the price of the non-a/c Alto to an unbelievable Rs. 2.3 lacs, Maruti has provided an alternative to the first-time car buyer. The Alto is a full two generations newer than the utterly outdated Maruti 800 and is safer, better built, far more modern in design and drives much superior than the extremely basic 800.

The Alto is offered without an air-con at 2.3 lacs. Butttttttttttttttt all the brackets and provisions for an air-con are provided. Thus, an owner can go back to the show-room at a later date and have a bolt-on "factory fitted" air-con.

Whats even more amazing is what a few changes in standard fitments and a 10% reduction in price can achieve. The Alto till very recently managed no more than 2000 cars per month.

In May 2004, MUL moved 10373 Altos compared to 10016 Maruti 800's. Awesome isnt it?

Source - The Economic Times article.

GTO

great news GTO. it's fantastic to hear that the people are finally upgrading to what i feel is a much better specced car, not in terms od equipment levels, but in terms of being an updated car. i'm sure the alto has a better crash rating than the maruti 800. looks like they can finally consider putting the m800 out of production. and great pricing too. thats what did it for the consumers i guess. looks like the japanese and the koreans have a lot in common.

Ya.. .. its wonderful... but, I don't understand this... What was Maruti's objective behind this?

BY all means they were earning much more profit by selling the 800 than the Alto.. as they are priced so close.

If they can sell alto for 2.3 they can do 800 for 1.7 ....

Earlier the Alto and 800 shared the same engine (12 valve) ... now only Alto had that.

No matter what one says Alto's maintenance is much higher than the 800... say buying a windscreen.... its more than double.

I actually can't understand the motive (of course its not doing for better safety standards) ...

And one more thing.... why can't maruti get its cars into the right price slot in the first shot... see Baleno, Versa, Alto

lol... on the selfish side its a loss to me.... I too have a Alto though Vxi.... now this car will become the most basic thing on the road. though i got it for 4+ (on-road)

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (GTO @ June 04 2004,21:12)]Move over 800, the Alto is here. After 21 long years of virtually unchallenged leadership at the very top, India's largest selling model finally had to give way to its younger sibling - The Maruti Alto. While some may have thought it impossible to move the 800 from position no.1 (very recently touching the 20,000/month mark), Maruti has done it again. Smartly reducing the price of the non-a/c Alto to an unbelievable Rs. 2.3 lacs, Maruti has provided an alternative to the first-time car buyer. The Alto is a full two generations newer than the utterly outdated Maruti 800 and is safer, better built, far more modern in design and drives much superior than the extremely basic 800.

The Alto is offered without an air-con at 2.3 lacs. Butttttttttttttttt all the brackets and provisions for an air-con are provided. Thus, an owner can go back to the show-room at a later date and have a bolt-on "factory fitted" air-con.

Whats even more amazing is what a few changes in standard fitments and a 10% reduction in price can achieve. The Alto till very recently managed no more than 2000 cars per month.

In May 2004, MUL moved 10373 Altos compared to 10016 Maruti 800's. Awesome isnt it?

Source - The Economic Times article.

GTO

Alto is any time a btter car then that of m800, not even in engine refinment as well as look wise tooo...

Actually... Maruti has a very good stratergy behind all this....which we`ll discuss any time later.

Till then ........... Let`s GO !!

2f2f

This surely is a historic milestone for the Indian Auto market.

The day the M800 stops being the best seller is nothing to overlook! Sure, the main reason Maruti is phasing out the 800 is because there is no way it can meet the soon to be introduced safety regs, but still, it is an end of an era.

Thank you M800...you put India on (reliable) wheels.

Rtech

sigh
i will always remember the 800
it was one good car
it was the first one i sold
the car i learnt to drive in
the car which i hated status wise
the car which was the most fuel efficient and hardworking of the lot in my house

oh well on the bright side
there is always the alto
the perfect ALTOnative
( yes i noe it is a poor crack )

cheers
lamborghini