4 decades ago, India started its road trip in this little car

40年前，一辆小汽车开启了印度的公路之旅

In the early-1980s, almost a decade before the economy was liberalised, an ambitious project – linked in the popular imagination with Sanjay Gandhi, son of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi – started taking shape. Unfortunately, Sanjay died in a plane crash in June 1980, without realising his dream of bringing out an affordable, efficient and indigenous small car that would appeal to the middle class, but not burn a hole in their pockets. He was not there to see his dream fructify with the creation of Maruti Udyog Ltd (now called Maruti Suzuki) – a unique joint venture between Japan’s Suzuki Motor Co. and the Indian government.

上世纪80年代初，在经济自由化前近10年，一项雄心勃勃的计划开始成型。在公众的想象中，该计划与时任印度总理英迪拉·甘地的儿子桑贾伊·甘地有关。不幸的是，桑杰在1980年6月的一次飞机失事中去世，未能实现他的梦想，即推出一款物美价廉的本土小汽车，既能吸引中产阶级，又不会让他们掏空腰包。他并没有看到他的梦想随着马鲁蒂公司(现在叫铃木马鲁蒂)的成立而结出果实——这是一家独特的合资企业，由日本铃木汽车公司和印度政府合资。

The new company singlehandedly made India mobile and modernised the local industrial landscape, thanks to the clockwork precision of Japanese management and process systems. Right from the day it opened bookings on April 9, 1983, Maruti had the pulse of Indian buyers in its grasp. The opening orders crossed 1.35 lakh units (big even by today’s standards) by June 8, or just two months.

这家新公司凭借日本精确的管理和流程系统，单枪匹马让印度人开上了汽车，并推动当地工业现代化。从1983年4月9日开始，马鲁蒂就牢牢把握住了印度买家的脉搏。截至6月8日，也就是仅仅两个月的时间，首批订单就突破了13.5万辆(即便以今天的标准衡量，这也是个大数目)。

The vehicle that led to this automotive revolution of sorts was the Maruti 800, still revered for its simplicity, efficiency, ease of use, adaptability, and easy-on-the-pocket price. At launch, the 800 cost Rs 52,500 in Delhi. When deliveries began on December 14, 1983 – a day chosen as it was Sanjay’s birth anniversary – the so-called people’s small car became the darling of rich and poor alike.

引发这场汽车革命的是马鲁蒂800 (Maruti 800)，它仍然以其简单、易于使用、适用性和价格亲民而备受推崇。在德里发布时，马鲁蒂800的售价为5.25万卢比。1983年12月14日，也就是桑杰的生日那天，这款所谓的“人民的小汽车”开始交付，成为富人和穷人的最爱。

PM Indira Gandhi herself handed over the keys to the first 10 allottees (all chosen through a draw of lots to maintain transparency in the licence-raj era). The first car was delivered to Indian Airlines employee Harpal Singh, whose picture while receiving the keys from the PM has become a part of Indian automobile history.

印度总理英迪拉·甘地亲自把钥匙交给了前10名买家(所有人都是通过抽签选出的，以保持许可证制度时代的透明度)。第一辆汽车被交付给了印度航空公司的员工哈帕尔·辛格，他从总理手中接过钥匙时的照片已经成为印度汽车历史的一部分。

The 800 never looked back again, as they say for all success stories, and went on to create one record after another as it caught the fancy of Indians who swore by its dependability and the ease of maintenance, which was backed by Maruti’s ever-growing dealer and service network, watched over for quality by the sharp eyes of Suzuki and the Japanese management.

就像所有成功的故事一样，马鲁蒂800没有再回头，而是继续创造一个又一个记录，它受印度人喜爱，可靠性且易于保养，这得益于马鲁蒂不断增长的经销商和服务网络，铃木和日本管理层用敏锐的眼光监督质量。

“It was the first car for me, and for so many from my generation, and even later,” Lt Gen (retd) Dr RK Suri, who is in his 80s now, reminisces fondly about the car that took him places but “never gave up”.

“这是我的第一辆车，也是我那一代许多人的第一辆车，甚至是后来一代人的第一辆车，”

现已80多岁的中将(已退休)RK Suri深情地回忆起这辆车，它带他去了很多地方，但他“从未放弃”这辆车。

以下是印度时报读者的评论：译者：Jessica.Wu

Virendra Rawat

Thanks for bringing this write up about Maruti Car. I couldn't afford to book the 800 car way back in 1983 due to its high cost around Rs 52,00/- plus but it remained in my subconscious mind somewhere. And the dream came true in 1994 when I could muster the courage to manage Rs 1,85,000/- plus, the cost of car by then in Delhi. But the wait was unending. My car was delivered to me after 9 months of wait after having paid full amount at the time of booking.

在1983年，我买不起马鲁蒂800，价格要5.2万多卢比，我还是想买。我的梦想在1994年实现了，当时德里的价格是18.5万卢比。但是等待是无止境的，我的车是在预订时支付了全部款项后，等了9个月才送到我这里的。

Yoyo

Bloody oldUglyWitch indiraGaandii and her rapistGoonda son SanjayGaaandi screwed up the entire beaurocracy and economy. Corruption and licence raj drove economy backwards while countries like korea, japan, china raced ahead.

英迪拉和她的强奸犯儿子桑贾伊搞砸了印度整个官僚体制和经济。腐败和许可证制度造成印度经济倒退，而韩国、日本和中国等国家却在前进。

Surya Kant Agrawal

Maruti Suzuki transformed the manufacturing in India and brought in lean, mean, just in time, management

马鲁蒂铃木改变了印度的制造业，及时引入了精益管理

Cherian Thomas

For us , our small family bought this car for Rs65000/- , used it for ten yeaaaaars , and then sold it for Rs95000/- !!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT ? THOSE WERE THE DAYS ..

我们小家庭买这辆车花了65000卢比，开了10年，然后卖了95000卢比 ！你们相信吗?

Modi The Global Feku

Had it been Feku in the 1980s, our current mode of transport would still have been the Bullock carts

如果上世纪80年代是莫迪执政，我们现在的交通方式还会是牛车吗？

Mandeep Singh

Thanks to Sanjay Gandhi, our industry revolutionized. If only Sanjay were alive for another couple of decades instead of Indira or Rajeev, our country's picture would have been totally different now. Gandhi's family feud and hunger for power changed the course of the country!

多亏了桑贾伊·甘地，我们的工业发生了革命。如果他能再活几十年，而不是英迪拉或拉吉夫，我们国家的情况就会完全不同。甘地家族的不和，以及对权力的渴望改变了国家的进程

Abhishek S

All those who bought Maruti 800 as their first car can relate to this article. In those days even having one small car at home was luxury and pride for the owner. Now even after having many cars, one doesn't get that same feeling.

第一辆车买了马鲁蒂800的人都能和这篇文章产生共鸣。在那个时候，即使家里有一辆小汽车，对车主来说也是一种奢侈和骄傲。现在，即使拥有了很多车，人们也不会有这样的感觉了。

Long Street

Maruthi car in Indian automobile industry was like A R Rahman for Indian music , My first car was a used Maruthi 800

马鲁蒂在印度汽车业就像印度音乐的拉赫曼。我的第一辆车是二手的马鲁蒂800

MyCountryfirst

Sanjay had the vision of industrialisation and population control.

桑贾伊有工业化和控制人口的远见。

Subba Iyer Mani

It was the best car that I ever owned or driven. I was able to get my Maruti 800 in 1985 and ever since I have always been a Maruti car owner.

这是我驾驶过的最棒的车。我在1985年买到了我的马鲁蒂800，从那时起我就一直是马鲁蒂车主。

JaiShri Rama

Sanjay Gandhi was much reviled in his lifetime. But, with the benefit of hindsight and in view of subsequent events, I can say that he was a farsighted visionary. Somehow, people close to Gandhi family seem to be dying through air crashes, when they stand in the way of other members of the family.

桑贾伊·甘地、一生饱受诟病。但是，从后来发生的事情来看，可以说他是一个有远见的人。不知何故，与甘地家族关系密切的人似乎都死于飞机失事，他们挡住了甘地家族其他成员的路。

Sajid Isa

Maruti 800 was an iconic car, cheap and maintain and very dependable. I had driven my first 800 across the length and breadth of India and it never gave me any trouble. Engine was simple and most mechanics could easily do minor repairs .

马鲁蒂800是一辆标志性的车，便宜，好保养，非常可靠。我开着我的马鲁蒂800横穿了整个印度，从未给我带来任何麻烦。发动机很简单，大多数机械师都能轻松地进行小修。

Aster T

Yes, it was a statesymbol to be owner of maruti 800 and today also we see love of people for it. Thanks Sanjay Gandhi for his gift to India.

是的，拥有马鲁蒂800是一个象征，今天我们也看到人们对它的爱。感谢桑贾伊·甘地给印度的礼物。

Narela M R

Indian middle classes transformed their dreams of personal transport (car) to high end SUVs for merry making in these 4 decades of growth.

在过去40年的经济增长中，印度中产阶级将个人交通工具(汽车)的梦想变成了高端SUV。

Sathasivan Nagarajan

The whole nation knows Sanjay , his activities and interference in the bureaucracy.

全国人民都知道桑贾伊，知道他的所作所为，知道他对官僚机构的干涉。

Snehasis Basu

I also fondly remember my first car M-800 AC which I continued for 13 years and at the time of exchanging I felt very bad.

我还记得我的第一辆车马鲁蒂-800 AC，我一直开了13年，换车的时候我感觉很难受。

Ankita

Gandhi's brought us where we are today ,they were real visionaries and we need them again !

甘地把我们带到了今天，他们是真正有远见的人，我们还需要他们!

sdvivekananda

my Maruti 800 has completed 20 years of its life and still going on

我的马鲁蒂800已经开了20年了，而且我还在开

Murali

I have seen some modi bhakths expressed their narrow mind set even on this article only because Maruti was started by Indira.

我看到一些莫迪支持者甚至在这篇文章上表达了他们狭隘的思想，马鲁蒂是英迪拉创立的。

Murali

Modi Bhakths with filthy mindset are not able to digest this appreciation for Maruti car since it is a gift to Indians from indira and sanjay.

思想肮脏的莫迪支持者无法接受人们对马鲁蒂汽车的赞赏，这是英迪拉和桑贾伊送给印度人的礼物。