Maruti to phase out M800, Omni by 2015-16

New Delhi, Apr 1 (PTI) Maruti 800 - the small car that
revolutionised personal transport in modern India - will take
a bow starting next year and be phased out by 2016, when the
country is expected to embrace new emission norms, Maruti
Suzuki India said Wednesday.

Along with the M800, MSI will also be phasing out its
second oldest model, the utility van Omni. In the initial
phase, the two models will be done away with in 11 cities from
next year, where the Bharat Stage-IV emission norms (which is
equivalent to Euro-IV norms) will become applicable.

"Once Euro-IV emission norms is applied across the
country, which is likely to happen around 2015-16, then M800
and Omni may not be a saleable product. We will have to
eventually phase (them) out then," MSI Chairman R C Bhargava
told PTI.

The company would not upgrade the engines of these two
models to meet better emission standards, he said while also
ruling out their replacements.

"We regularly introduce new models in the market, but at
present there is no plan to bring out substitutes for these
two cars," he added.

Bhargava said sales of M800 and Omni would stop next year
in 11 cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and
Bangalore, where Euro-IV emission norms would come into
effect.

"In any case, we are selling very small numbers in these
cities as they have opted for higher standard cars. Our main
markets for the small car are the rural areas, where we will
continue to sell," he added.

Launched in 1983, the M800 has sold over 27 lakh units in
its 25 years of existence and was the highest selling car for
the company till recently when the Alto was introduced.

Sales of M800 in February fell by 29.07 per cent at 4,075
units as against 5,745 units last year. Omni was launched in
1984. PTI