Maruti Suzuki may be on its way of phasing out its M800 model in the Indian market and making Maruti Alto as its flagship model, but the model is still extremely popular in the international market and the recent export figures of M800 from India endorse that fact.
Society of Automobile Manufacturers stated that exports of Maruti 800 jumped by a massive 91.49 per cent to 4,435 units in the April-August period. MSIL currently exports M800 model to Algeria, Egypt and Chile. MSIL has already phased out the model in 13 cities of India and is ready to remove the same from Indian domestic market by end of this year. The main reason of phasing out M800 is its older engine which cannot be upgraded and is not as per the new emission norms.
On the other hand, MSIL Chairman RC Bhargava dismissed the news stating that the figures are too small to attach any significance to the same. He also spoke on the sentimental values of phasing out India’s oldest and once most popular car. "Lots of nostalgic value is attached with the car (M800)... but we can't allow sentiments to dictate business. We have not upgraded it to Bharat Stage IV norms as we do not consider it a good business proposition," he had said.
![Maruti Suzuki 800 [2008-2014]](https://imgd-ct.aeplcdn.com/160x89/cw/cars/discontinued/maruti-suzuki/800-2008-2014.jpg?q=80 "Maruti Suzuki 800 [2008-2014]")
