Once a year, Mahindra celebrates its existence in the automotive industry by hosting select component manufacturers, dealers and the media at a location far from the hustle of cities. This year, it was Jaisalmer, a town not that far from the Indo-Pak border, and crucially quite close to the Sam sand dunes in the Thar Desert.
While the nights are about making merry, the day is about showcasing the capability of Mahindra's rugged SUV range which includes the Scorpio, Bolero and Thar. The Thar specifically is in its elements here and it's a SUV I was looking forward to drive at the Sam sand dunes. After being flagged off at the majestic Suryagarh Palace about 30km from the dunes, a convoy of over 70 Mahindra vehicles chugged towards Sam. The roads were buttery smooth and the pace was low. We weren't here to drive on roads after all. With the dunes in sight, the Thar drivers started getting chirpier. This after all is what the Thar is made for andndash; bash dunes with the nonchalance of negotiating a shopping trolley in a supermarket.
I was yet to know that as it was my first attempt at dune bashing. While we waited for the endless queue of offroaders to venture into the sand slowly and steadily on a marked 12km course I recollected the driver's briefing we had an hour ago. Tyre pressure lowered to about 20psi, four wheel drive low ratio engaged and lastly, the windows rolled up so I don't get a face full of sand if I'm driving like an idiot.
Driving on sand isn't easy even if you have four wheel drive and good ground clearance. A combination of a capable offroader and a skillful driver is needed. I was going to find out how I was to fare. Driving on sand requires good throttle control and quick reactions. Momentum is the name of the game. You need to see much ahead of you especially when there are plenty of cars around. We were a convoy of over 70 SUVs so keeping distance to the car in front was important just in case the driver got stuck. About five car lengths is ideal.
Building up momentum to climb the dune requires a good run up. Traction on sand is poor. Lowering the tyre pressure helps here because it gives a wider footprint but the minute you slow down, the tyres sink in under the vehicle's weight. The momentum needs to be just right to reach the top of the dune because you don't know what lies on the other side of the dune. It could be a steep fall, a gradual descent or a sharp turn. If you are too fast, you might gain some unwanted airtime before landing hard on a surface that may not be flat. That unknown entity made me skeptical about the amount of gas required initially but I was starting to get the hang of it after a few dunes.
Reaching up the hill is all about momentum. Getting down is a exhilarating crawl to safety. The angles are unpredictable so all you do when you reach the top is slot the car in first gear and lift off the gas. The Thar slowly but surely crawls down the dune.
While driving on dunes, too much steering lock is pointless. You need to ease the SUV out by making quick but small steering corrections to keep it on course. We learned a fair bit in this short course.
Mahindra also unveiled a special edition Thar and the five millionth vehicle produced by Mahindra, which fittingly was also a Thar.
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