Mahindra and Mahindra and Autocar India collaborated once again to celebrate World Women's Day the only way we know how - with a spirited drive to the hills. The spirit of adventure was the common denominator that brought together 30 women from all walks of life. Naturally, when adventure is involved, Mahindra SUVs are bound to play a huge part. A convoy comprising the XUV700 and Thar Roxx gathered at Victoria South in Mumbai, ready to set off.
Saturday spin
After a hearty breakfast, followed by a briefing session by our very own Renuka Kirpalani, the women hopped into their SUVs for the flag-off. Destination: Lonavala. The convoy effortlessly cruised across the Atal Setu before merging onto the Expressway. To add a dash of excitement to what is typically a laid-back cruise, convoy leader Renuka engaged the participants with a game of trivia over the walkie-talkies. This brought out the competitive side of the women, with the radios crackling with excitement as they rushed to be the first to answer.
The women at the wheel made good use of the grunt on tap to quickly dispatch the mandatory Saturday traffic on the ghat section. Lonavala was now in sight. The convoy then wound its way up the scenic and challenging roads leading to Aamby Valley, where a series of activities awaited them at the aptly named Adventure Square.
Park up
The first challenge was a quick parking test in a Mahindra Thar Roxx. Participants had to navigate through a series of cones in reverse, make a U-turn, and stop in a designated spot—all against the clock. But there was a twist. All the windows, apart from the front windshield, were covered using sunshades, meaning participants had to manoeuvre the vehicle using only the Thar's 360-degree camera.
While that might seem akin to driving blindfolded, most overcame the lack of visibility within a couple of feet, thanks to the clarity of the cameras and the HD 10.25-inch screen. However, no one managed to match Sana Chauhan, a senior features writer covering architecture and interiors, who reversed the Roxx in one smooth move and completed the course in a staggering 23.88 seconds.
Time attack
Next, it was time for a quick hit of adrenaline at the autocross track with the Mahindra XUV3XO. Drivers had to push the XUV3XO through a maze of cones to set the fastest time. Launch hard using all 131hp from the GDI engine, push through the slalom, brake hard for the hairpin, quick left, quick right, another tight chicane, before braking hard into the box. Sounds simple? Not quite—but the XUV3XO's automatic transmission did make life slightly easier.
The participants were full of praise for the XUV3XO's handling and performance, but no one exploited it better than automobile and lifestyle content creator Prachi Chavda, who set a blistering time of 35.39 seconds—just over a second slower than the benchmark time set by our experts. A woman with drive indeed.
Off the beaten path
Now, it was time to slow things down slightly while still keeping the adrenaline pumping with an adventure of a different kind—the off-road kind. A fleet of 3-door Thars and even a few Scorpio-Ns were assembled to take the women on the adventure of a lifetime through rocky and muddy trails.
For this activity, I hitched a ride with Shuchi Mahajan, SVP and Head of Fraud Prevention, Analytics, and Awareness at HDFC Bank—but also an avid adventure sports enthusiast and a certified paraglider. Watching her navigate through bushes, mud, and over serious boulders was nothing short of amazing, especially since it was her first time off-roading. She took to it like a fish to water, but she insists it had a lot to do with the Scorpio-N. The terrain modes made the going easy when traction was limited, but she was equally impressed with the steering and seats.
“I love how the seat adjusts electrically so I can sit up high with a good view out,” she commented, adding, “the smooth steering made it so effortless.” At the end of the day, it was Anamika Jain, owner of Ajay Securities Pvt Ltd, who impressed the instructors the most and took home the prize for Off-Roader of the Day.
Pack it up
The fourth and final activity was something of a puzzle that showcased the practical side of the XUV3XO—the Packing Challenge. Participants were tasked with fitting 37 boxes of various sizes into the cargo area of the sub-4-metre SUV, all within three minutes.
With the clock ticking, each participant scrambled to load the boxes into the XUV3XO, but this proved to be quite a challenge. Nevertheless, the women were impressed by just how much the SUV could carry, with Shruti Shah, Product Manager at Amazon Prime, commenting, “It’s really great if you want to pack your entire family’s luggage and head on holiday.”
Once again, Sana Chauhan proved her mettle, claiming the top spot by fitting 36 of the 37 boxes into the XUV3XO.
A day for celebration
The fifth edition brought together women from all walks of life for a day of celebrating women with the spirit of adventure—proudly supported by Mahindra’s SUVs. These vehicles not only provided a platform for participants to showcase their skills behind the wheel but also demonstrated how technology and performance enhance the driving experience.
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