We were invited to join in for a part of the India leg of Toyota’s 5 Continents or 5C Drive. Here’s what this drive was all about
Story: Team Car India
When I arrived in Surat to join up with Toyota for this 5C drive, I was told that I was there in the capacity of an observer only. The reason, Toyota’s senior officials from Japan and other key markets would be taking the wheel themselves. The idea behind doing this is Toyota’s Genchi Genbutsu philosophy. According to this philosophy, Toyota want to visit ground zero and find out issues themselves rather than relying on hearsay. This way they can understand their customers’ concerns better and improve their products accordingly. This philosophy is one of the cornerstones on which the brand was founded. And it was this noble sentiment that would fuel this drive in India and elsewhere in the world.
The 5C drive started in Bengaluru and was to come to an end in Delhi, before moving on to other Asian markets, culminating at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and paralympics. A feature-packed Toyota Landcruiser 200 had been leading the convoy all over the world so far,expertly lead by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing division, and the same team was performing these duties here as well. We had the Glanza, Yaris, Corolla Altis, Camry Hybrid, Innova Crysta, Innova Touring sport and Fortuner. My leg of the journey was from Surat to Udaipur with a stop in Ahmedabad for one night.
Before the drive got under way, though, there was a briefing where all drivers were requested to be careful and drive safely. The Japanese penchant for punctuality was evident too. We left at 8.30 am sharp and began the journey. Everything was perfectly coordinated and pre-planned. Rest stops, fuel stops, food stops, everything was timed to the second and moved with an unerring precision. When we reached Ahmedabad on the first day, we didn’t go straight to the hotel. Instead we visited the Infinium Toyota dealership in Ahmedabad for more dealer insights. After a tour of the facilities there and conversations with stakeholders, we finally headed back to the hotel.
