Mahindra BE6 Formula E Edition Ft. Gymkhana: 31.2s Run, Track Vibes And A Lot Of Smoke

There’s something about automotive events in Mumbai, you can smell the cocktail of chaos and excitement, made in the city, that surrounds you. The old view of an empty car park converted into a motorsport playground is always a joy-giver, and this time, Mahindra made the place scream-electric. Literally.

At the entrance stood the three BE6 brothers in a series of appearances in a motion picture. The steady one was the regular BE6 PACK THREE. The BE6 Batman Edition was the elusive celebrity where all 999 sets had been sold in the short space of 135 seconds. And then, the BE6 Formula E Edition. Before I stepped closer, I felt that this one had been taken out of a poster in a children's room. It was futuristic yet rebellious with race-inspired colours and sharp graphics and proportions, which had an allusion to the M12 Electro in the Mahindra Formula E garage, which was also, was parked beside.

First Look At The BE6 Formula E Edition

The Formula E Edition had a beat of its own, close up. The exterior fascia was strained and on alert as though it was about to go berserk. The eyebrow DRLs, round-shaped headlights and the sharpness of the detailing informed you that this was not a merely cosmetic project. Mahindra hoped that this one would be like a letter of love to motorsport.

The side graphics were screamers of speed. The alloy wheels of 20 inches provided strength. The Formula E and the FIA badges simply reminded you of the lineage. The orange decorations on the door pads and the centre console transformed the atmosphere of the cabin immediately. It was sporty, but it was not trying too hard. And even the twin digital cockpit (12.3 inches) remained an object of tomorrow, like we know from the BE6.

Although the powertrain was the same, there was something different about how this Edition was packaged, which made the known devils, i.e. the 79 kWh, 286 PS and 380 Nm, appear more significant. Similar to a good fighter in a racing team who puts on their team colours, acquires a different demeanor though the person beneath the garb remains the same.

Meeting Familiar Faces

The mood of NESCO was positive, and, in my case, the emotional climax preceded the drive itself. I bumped into Satinder Sir as I went through the “paddock”. He is fondly known as Satty sir by everyone in Mahindra Adventure, and he has been a teacher and guide to many of us over the course of numerous off-road trips. By his side stood Lakshya, one of my old buddies in so many memorable journeys of slush, rocks and paths that I immediately felt like I was going back in history.

We sat and stayed a little, chatting between the warm-up of the tyres and the photographers running to and fro. Those discussions reminded me of the fact that motorsport is not only about machines or tracks. It is also about those people who determine your experiences. And it was like old times, yore at NESCO that morning.

The Gymkhana Track: Heartbeat Rising

Mahindra Adventure had prepared a small gymkhana course at the centre of the parking lot. The arrangement of cones is accurate. A few straights to breathe. Tight boxes to test agility,  rapid swivels to find out who maintained the car clean and who would roll over. The Formula E Edition was waiting in line as a sportsman warming up before a race.

My time came, the belts got tighter, the cabin had gone quiet, and the heat of Mumbai seemed to have disappeared. I touched the throttle to have the rear motor roll in reply with the sort of enthusiasm that causes a smile to be involuntary. The BE6 flew into the opening part of the slalom and was waving its legs over the cones as though it was made to do so. The steering felt alert. The weight felt predictable. The flow of power was so smooth that you could put the car anywhere you wanted.

Thirty-one point two seconds. It is the figure that appeared on the timer at the end of my run. Fourth-ranked among the media participants. Only two-tenths short of the third place and a whole second of the fastest time of the day. It was very satisfying to have the first drive in a machine that has been inspired by a full-blown racing car.

Kush Maini Steals The Finale

As we were about to assume that the day was wearing off, Kush Maini came in. Calm. Warm. Effortlessly confident. The reserve F1 Alpine driver and Formula 2 racer moved about as though he had been under some pressure, but still managed to keep his feet on the ground.

After that, he went on a ride with the BE 6 Formula E Edition. This was followed by the type of ending that any automotive event would have been proud of. Kush swung the car around in a flawless circle, and within minutes, the NESCO parking lot was full of tyre smoke that was dancing around. The crowd erupted. Cameras clicked nonstop. The air was filled with the air of burning rubber and people, rejoicing!

The Human Side Of Motorsport

At the end of the driving, the adrenaline remained. We retreated to the paddock where there was a sharing of tales, cracking of jokes and the normal jesting between journalists, Mahindra Adventure staff and PR personnel kept the fire going. Satty sir told us some of our old adventures in off-road, and Lakshya put his little experience into the stories. The humidity in Mumbai was not so irritating when you are amidst people who seem to belong to a large motor vehicle family.

It was a finishing touch to an electric day, with a sort of camaraderie we love. 

Final Thoughts

The experience of driving the BE6 Formula E Edition was an attempt to link the Mahindra Motorsport ambitions with a typical morning in Mumbai. It is not a visual-only enhancement. It is an attempt at something unique. The existing BE6 is already a competent EV that has range, space and features that impress. The Formula E Edition provides emotion to the top of all that. A sharper face. A sportier cabin. Feeling that you are a part of something greater than a commute to the office.

What BE6 feels like drama, Formula E Edition is a dramatisation of the same passion. And passion is just the thing that an EV was missing, which now makes the BE6, more alive and kicking!

Do you like the styling of the Mahindra BE6 Formula E Edition? Let us know in the comments!