800 to drive out of 13 major cities

Maruti has decided not to upgrade its entry level 800 model to meet the upcoming BS IV norms which come into effect in 13 cities from April this year.

As a result this iconic little car will no longer be available for sale in these cities, but will continue to remain in showrooms for the rest of the country. Among the cities upgrading to BS IV are Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Kanpur, Ahmedabad, Surat and Agra.

According to R C Bhargava, chairman, Maruti Suzuki India, the company has decided against upgrading the 800. In recent years, the 800 has lost popularity due to rising buyer aspirations and its more sophisticated sibling, the Alto, which is currently the best selling car model in the country.