Mahindra Great Escape, Jaisalmer 2015 report

The 120th edition of the Mahindra Great Escape was recently concluded in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. The annual 'invitation only' event was attended by dignitaries from domestic and international auto component companies and agencies. The Mahindra Great Escape saw a convoy of around 70 Mahindra SUVs negotiating a 60km track, of which 12km was through the Sam sand dunes in the Thar Desert. The steep inclines of the dunes coupled with the shifting slopes and various undulations tested the driving skills of the participants.

The convoy comprised of Thars, Scorpios, Scorpio Getaways and Boleros. Before the event was flagged off, the Mahindra Adventure Team organised a drivers briefing, where they took the participants through the dos and don’ts of dune bashing. Before attempting the off-road track, participants were asked to make sure the tyre pressure was down to 20psi and the four-wheel drive was engaged in low ratio. Most of the participants were going to drive in the desert for the first time, and so had no idea of what lay ahead. Sam dunes, however, turned out to be a challenge for experienced drivers and amateurs, alike.

Initially, some participants were very confident about conquering the sand dunes as all the Mahindra SUVs were equipped with four-wheel-drive system. But the reality showed them something else. After failing to negotiate the undulating sand dunes, they realised that the job needed a combination of both, man and machine. From maintaining momentum while driving up steep inclines to crawling down slopes in first gear without accelerating, each participant got a chance to improve their desert driving skills.

Dr Pawan Goenka, Executive Director, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said about the event, “We were delighted to have hosted the 120th edition of the Annual Mahindra Great Escape in the golden city of Jaisalmer. Rajasthan is a very popular destination among off-roading enthusiasts for its terrain and allows us to showcase to our customers the tough and enduring nature of Mahindra vehicles. Over the years, the Great Escape has developed a reputation as one of India’s most thrilling off-road events, and this year’s edition was no different as it put both man and machine to test”.

The company also unveiled a White Special Edition Thar at the Mahindra Great Escape. On display at the event was the five millionth Mahindra vehicle, a Mahindra Thar, that was rolled out from the company's manufacturing plant in Kandivali, Mumbai on January 5, 2015.