This Is India's Smallest Maruti Suzuki Ritz [Video]
The Maruti Suzuki Ritz was one of the most successful hatchbacks sold by the brand in the country. It was known for its tallboy design and its short wheelbase, making it easier to maneuver in the city. Now, to most people, the Ritz was already a perfectly sized car. However, there is an owner of a Maruti Suzuki Ritz who thought, what if the wheelbase of this hatchback could be made even shorter? The result of this, you may ask? Well, here is a video of a unique two-door Ritz.
Maruti Suzuki Ritz two-door conversion
This video showing the two-door Maruti Suzuki Ritz has been shared on Instagram by SK Car Accessories on their page. It is a shop based out of Mandi Dabwali, Sirsa, Haryana. In this short video, the owner of the shop shows this unique Ritz, which has been shortened. From the video, it can be noted that instead of four doors, this particular car only has two doors.
Most likely, the vehicle was chopped from between, and then the middle portion was cut off, following which it was rewelded to make the wheelbase shorter. It can also be noted that instead of the rear doors, the hatchback now gets a larger quarter window. The owner of the shop has mentioned that it has been converted into a two-seater and that it came to their shop for an Android system installation.
Not the first two-door hatchback
This is not the first time that we have seen a hatchback converted into a two-door vehicle. A while ago, a video of a Tata Indica V2 was shared online. In this video, an old Indica in a dilapidated condition was seen getting converted into a two-door vehicle. The shop owner highlighted and then showed them chopping off the middle section of this car.
The video then shows this vehicle being welded together and then going through the bodywork process. All the existing dents of this two-door Indica were repaired, and it was then covered with putty, following which the entire body was sanded and all the body lines were reformed. After this, the vehicle went for paint and was painted in the original silver color.
When the project was completed, the owner of the shop then gave a detailed walkaround of the vehicle. He highlighted that the interior of this car has also been painted in a black and silver color combination. Apart from this, it has been given a custom bonnet scoop, roof rails, and a rear spoiler, all made from metal. He added that it retains the original engine.
Are such modifications legal?
The short answer is no. Such modifications, where the wheelbase of a vehicle is altered, are not legal. As per the Motor Vehicles Act, no alterations to the structural components of the vehicle are legal. Chopping and welding body parts compromise the structural rigidity of the vehicle, and in case of an accident, it would not be able to keep the occupants safe.
Such modifications, however, are very rare, and generally, people who create such vehicles do not use them on a daily basis. They are more of showpieces rather than daily drivers.