Mahindra XUV500 Track Day!

I’ve been an SUV fanatic from as far back in time as I can remember. My love for big wheels, big engines, high ground clearance and off-roading abilities might have sprung from the fact that I grew up on a mountain in South India and spent a serious amount of my childhood on farms where jeeps ruled the roost. Out in the rugged boonies the only thing that ever mattered was raw power and the ability to get out of sticky situations with ease. It’s the land of no cars and it’s left a lasting impression.

My obsession has only grown with time and I’ve been the proud owner of a Willy’s low bonnet, a CJ3B, MM540, Mahindra Bolero and a Mahindra Scorpio at various instances, plus I have had the opportunity to drive a plethora of high end SUVs thanks to the nature of my job. With all this experience I’ve had the benefit of gaining a deep understanding of what a jeep/SUV can do and can’t do, and one thing is certain, a jeep or an SUV for that matter isn’t designed to do hot laps on a race track! I never thought the day would come, but it finally did in the form of the Mahindra XUV500 Torque Day held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida.

I must admit, it was my curiosity that got me to wake up at the god forsaken hour of 5:00am in order to get ready and make it to the track in time for this rather unusual drive. Unlike a Ferrari drive or a BMW M Power Drive, I really didn’t know what was in store at  such an event. After all, how much fun could it be trying to take a 2.5-tonne diesel powered behemoth around a race track?

The corners would be slow, the chance to topple would be high (especially with 200mm of ground clearance and a high centre of gravity), and there would be absolutely no element of enjoying the XUV500’s true purpose of being an able soft-roader. I figured I could have more fun with a XUV500 in a gravel parking lot or a dirt trail than I could out on the track. I was wrong.

The XUV500 is by far the most refined product to roll out of Mahindra’s facility. It’s a soft-roader that commands great street presence, and it also happens to be the first Mahindra to boast a monocoque chassis and a transverse mounted engine. Power goes to the front wheels, but there is an all-wheel drive option, which sadly wasn’t what I was given to drive at the track.

While the AWD version would have helped in offering an enhanced drive experience, I had to make do with the fact that the only elements that I had to rely on while out on the track would be the monocoque body which doesn’t allow for as much body roll compared to a body on ladder frame, the MacPherson strut suspension at the front and an independent multi-link suspension at the rear which have been tuned by Lotus, plus there was the element of my own driving skills to count on as well.

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I geared up and hopped into the driver’s seat for my set of hot laps on the circuit. Accelerating towards turn one, I felt as though I might have been too harsh on the accelerator and the turn was upon me in seconds. My mind was racing through the few lessons I’ve learnt about driving on a race track and I did my level best to keep the vehicle composed yet take the turn at a decent speed.

While there was enough body roll to make my co-passenger mutter a quick prayer, the XUV500 surprised me with its ability to take that turn without feeling out of control. That single instance gave me enough confidence to step up the pace and try my hand at following the proper race lines along the course in order to hustle this SUV through the corners and have a gala time doing so.

I didn’t expect the XUV500 to behave like a sportscar, nor did I expect to hit major speeds out on the tarmac. However I got to unleash the 2.2-litre mHawk engine to its full potential and more importantly I got to witness first hand the dynamic ability that the XUV500 possesses.

I wish we were given the AWD versions for an increased level of hooliganism out on the tarmac, but the fact that the 2WD version performed so well is a compliment to the vehicle’s build as well as a testament to the blokes at Lotus who must have had a field day in deriving an ideal suspension tuning for the XUV500 to allow for some uninhibited fun on a race track, yet tackle the rugged outdoors with élan. 

On a parting note I admit that driving a XUV500 out on the track holds its merit as one of my most memorable track driving experiences till date. I know it is a limited list, but it does include a Ferrari 458 Italia, Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW Z4 and BMW M5 so I do have the right to be judgmental here. Regardless, while the XUV500 isn’t going to set lap times, or take corners at three-digit speeds, it has the potential to entertain and on that accord it didn't disappoint at all.