The first challenge was the stream crossing. Here we had to drive through a slushy slope into the stream, take a U-turn, and drive back out. The task was not difficult; the only problem was the slushy part. By the time I got behind the wheel, the slope was like a river of mud. As the countdown began, I slotted the Thar in the second and let go. The car slowly made its way down the slope without getting stuck. The stream crossing was not very tricky — with proper wheel placement and by inching forward I crossed the stream with ease. The steering on the new Thar felt much lighter and easier to manoeuvre as compared to the old one’s. It was time to make my way to the top without getting stuck. After gaining some momentum, I started the climb. Slotting the Thar in the second and with some throttle modulation, I made it till the finish-line within the given time and without getting stuck.
The next obstacle was the slush pit. The first few competitors got stuck half way through the trail and were asked to park by the side; the reason being the wheels would get covered with wet mud and the Thar would lose all grip, ending up spinning away to glory. By the time it was my turn, the track was riddled with ruts, thus making it all the more difficult. But thanks to the rear diff lock and immense 260 Nm of torque I came out triumphant.
The last challenge, the rock crawl, was the trickiest, for it involved going through a small muddy course and then climbing through huge boulders to get out on the other side. This was the most difficult and challenging course, and here the vehicle, spotter and driver had to work in complete harmony to get to the other side. It was my turn to rise and shine. After clearing the slushy bit it was time to tackle the boulders. It was at this course that I really experienced the significance of a diff lock, and just how much it helps to get one out of sticky situations. Precise wheel placement and throttle control proved to be the key to my success.
All in all, the Mahindra Great Escape is a brilliant event that perfectly showcases the capabilities of the Indian car-maker’s products. The event allowed all us participants to get a good idea of what these cars are capable of when driven over mud and rock.
