It is not every day that one gets to hear about an automatic version of the iconic Maruti 800
In a rather exciting occurrence, I was able to come across arguably the most unique iteration of the Maruti 800, which has an automatic transmission. Now, we know that the Maruti 800 achieved legendary status in the Indian market in the last few decades. Back in the 1990s, it was the aspirational vehicle for the growing middle car in every corner of the country. In fact, people who purchased a car at that time had the 800 as their first vehicle. Hence, a lot of memories are attached to this model. Unfortunately, as the emission norms got stricter and more cars appeared on the scene, the 800 was discontinued in 2014 after remaining in production for over 3 decades.
Dual Accelerator Maruti 800 Automatic
We are able to know the details of this model courtesy of this video by MIHIR GALAT on YouTube. The famous YouTuber often showcases modified cars from various parts of India. On this occasion, he is interacting with the owner of this car. The original Maruti 800 was owned by someone who had some issues with his leg. As a consequence, he booked a Japanese car which came with two accelerators and an automatic transmission. Note that it was never on sale in India. In fact, the owner mentions that there are only a couple of other models in the country.
It gets a CVT transmission which makes driving in the city particularly stress-free. The host even gets behind the wheel and tries out the driving on the city roads, as well as in an empty parking space. Interestingly, there is a ‘Sport’ mode which gives a slight boost to the performance of the vehicle. The funny thing is that this car is so rare that the owner has people offer him up to Rs 18 lakh to buy it. Furthermore, some people even offer Rs 1.5 lakh just for the number plate. However, recognizing the value of this car, he refuses to sell it. In any case, this is definitely the most unique stock Maruti 800 I have ever known.
My View
I have reported many instances of insanely modified cars in the past. However, this is a rare occasion where the customization comes from the factory. Also, this special unit comes straight from Japan because back in the early 1990s, automatic transmission cars were not common at all. This unique car with the old number plate remains a key thread which ties modernity to the vintage era of the Indian automobile industry. I shall keep an eye out for more such cases in times to come.
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