10 Immortal Indian Cars That Are Still On The Roads | From City to Corolla

Engine, wheels, transmissions, gears and much more was put together to make an amazing machine called cars. In 1897, the first car ran on the Indian roads. It was an imported beauty. Since then, the automotive industry has come a long way. Through this transition, many cars came but never really went off the market or the hearts of Indian customers. Here is the list of 10 such immortal Indian cars that have a legacy to sing of.

1. Maruti Suzuki Gypsy | Driven by the spirit of Challenge

   

   One of our readers mentioned that we forgot to mention Gypsy in the Forgotten Maruti Cars article. Well, Gypsy was never a forgotten one. It still roams on the roads although it’s not in production at present. Gypsy is expected that the cult beginner will be back with the introduction of Gypsy/Jimny in India. The off-roader was launched in the December month of 1985. It has been famous amongst rally car drivers and off-road enthusiasts. But what’s interesting to know is that 90% of sales were made to the Government agencies, police or the military. The sturdiness and multi-terrain capabilities made it the carrier of the first line of defence of India. This car might be discontinued, but as said, some legends never die. They just take a break and return back stronger than ever.

2. Hyundai Santro | Avatars may come and go but the Name stays forever

   

   Santro was the car that announced Hyundai’s entry to India and is still here. More than 22 years and still running. Hyundai Santro has got upgrades, facelifts, new versions and new features since then. But one thing for sure, this hatchback made for the family is never going to go out of production. There was a time when the company pulled the plug to the ever-popular Santro as the i10 was doing wonders. But then in 2018, Hyundai came with an all-new Santro car, this time with bolder looks, sleeker than ever headlamps and striking body features.

3. Honda City | From Good To Better

   

   This sedan was the one to mark the entry of Honda in the Indian market. There were two engine options, 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre. It became a huge success in the segment. Honda City has always been a popular sedan in India. But the sales skyrocketed when Honda introduced a diesel engine with it in 2015. It is a premium sedan which offers first-in-class features and comfort. Honda City was a good sedan from the very beginning which only got better with every facelift and upgrade.

4. Mahindra Bolero | More Than Meets The Eye

   

   Launched back in 2000, Mahindra Bolero became the No.1 SUV in India by capturing 20% share of the market. Mahindra sold more than 24,800 units of Bolero by 2005. It was the bolder stance and a very affordable price of almost ₹5 lakhs which made it a popular pick amongst the Indian customers. Since then, the muscular stance remained the same though it has got aesthetic upgrades and engine upgrades too. It is still one of the best selling Mahindras in the country. It is the first SUV in India to get the BS6 upgrade.

5. Maruti Suzuki Wagon R | The Taxi Heartthrob

   

   This Kie car, which was already famous in Japan, was launched in 2000 in India. The car was built in the Gurgaon plant, thus making it possible for the company to keep the prices on the lower part. It was equipped with a 1.0-litre petrol engine that could produce 67hp of power. Then in 2006, an innovative CNG kit was introduced in the Wagon R with the same engine. This is where the popular taxi triumph began.

   Then in 2010, everything changed. The platform it was built on, the interiors and the exteriors, everything changed. This was the time when a new, lightweight aluminium engine as also introduced to the Wagon R. It was a KB10 1.0-litre petrol engine that could churn out 58hp of power. In 2013, Maruti Suzuki also introduced the sportier version of Wagon R called the Stingray. It was not able to gain a lot of traction though. But the Wagon R is still on the roads and has been given the BS6 upgrade to. Till there are operators such as Ola and Uber which have a high demand for the car, Wagon R will stay in production.

6. Tata Safari | Live The Legacy

   

   An SUV which has stayed from over 20 years, Tata Safari is still the first choice of people who want to buy a sturdy, powerful and affordable SUV. It was launched back in 1998 with a 4X4 option. Yes, you read that right! The engine duty was done by a turbo diesel engine which produced 89hp of power. From then on, the SUV has got major engine upgrades, major facelifts and new variants. Tata has been a step forward when it comes to the safety of its customers. Even in the first-gen of Safari, the company equipped safety features such as ABS with EBD and airbags. This is the reason, Safari has a legacy to tell and a future to live.

7. Mahindra Scorpio | Made Cars Suffer From Low Self Esteem

   

   Seeing the success of Bolero in the SUV segment, Mahindra introduced the Indians to another SUV, Scorpio. It came powered by a 2.6-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine which produced 104.8hp and a 270Nm of torque. The rugged SUV has gone through some major revamp sessions which have kept it alive. This SUV made small cars suffer from low self-esteem due to the bold stance and the strong build it has. Scorpio has been strong since 2002 and even after 18 years, the demand seems to have no bounds.

8. Toyota Corolla | Intrinsic, Impressive, Generation by Generation

   

   The premium sedan from Toyota was launched in 2003. It has been present from more than 60 years in the world though. This shows the popularity of the Corolla. It has been a hot-seller Toyota in India. The first-gen was equipped with a 1.8-litre 16 Valve VVT-i petrol engine which could produce 123hp of power. Since then the sedan has got plenty of cosmetic upgrades as well as powertrain upgrades too. It is the ‘one’ sedan, the world’s elite class prefers to drive.

9. Maruti Suzuki Eeco | The Cargo Carrier

   

   Everyone must remember the kidnapping car, Omni. It was replaced by Maruti Suzuki Versa as the company had to discontinue the MPV on the grounds of safety issues. Launched with Amitabh Bachan as the brand ambassador, Maruti wanted to make sure Versa reached the heart of its customers. But the MPV was not able to gain much traction and was replaced by Eeco in 2009. And since then, the Eeco has been ruling the MPV segment in India. The car’s multi utilisation abilities have made it a commercially viable option for various businesses in India. Recently, Eeco was upgraded with BS6 compliant engine and more safety features making it the safest among the MPVs in the sector. There seems to be no end in the near future to this immortal Indian cargo car.

10. Maruti Suzuki 800 | Gone But Not From The Hearts

    

    The Indian wanted a budget car and Maruti came to rescue with the very well-known legend 800. The ‘Hall Of Fame’ car was loved by the customers and is the longest selling Maruti car till date. Affordable and Fuel Efficient, 800 never saw any tough competition in the market. It was the emission norms compliance that led to discontinuation of the car from the market. But still, it can be seen on roads, either in the original condition or a modified one. Whatever it may be, this car will never die, and that’s for sure.