Did you know Maruti SB308 was available with an automatic gearbox? Here’s one rare unit of it is a completely pristine condition.
Maruti 800 is a pure legend and is almost a vintage car. It is tough to get one in a restored condition but very easy to maintain once you have it. How many of you did know that the 800 SB308, the second version, came with an automatic gearbox? It was very rare and was made only on order basis. Here’s one that we just saw.
Maruti 800 was launched in 1983 as the with the DX suffix and had a very high waiting period. In just 3 years, it received a full upgrade that gave birth to the SB308. This is the second gen that was offered with an optional automatic gearbox. It was available from 1987 to 1992, before Maruti decided to stop it.
Also Read: This Electric Maruti 800 Gets Rear-Wheel Drive And Produces 378 Nm Torque!
Actually, Maruti was kind enough to launch a special version of 800 of handicapped people in 1987. It came with special handbrakes, different gear shift levers, control switches, a special steering wheel, light change devices and was also equipped with a automatic transmission. That time, an automatic car was very well unheard.
You had to specially place an order for this car and it took months for Maruti to deliver one. It came with a 2-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. It came with the same 796cc three-cylinder engine that was good for 39 BHP. After a couple of years, it got a power boost taking the figures up to 45 BHP.
This Maruti has been maintained in the original stock paint with no modifications done onboard. Towards the end of 2000, it was also launched with a 1000cc engine that later came in many Maruti cars. While the 800 was discontinued by the end of 20th Century, Maruti 1000 carried on the legacy till 2014. It was bigger, more spacious but not that fun to drive anymore.
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