Mahindra organized the third edition of the Purple Club Torque Day which saw SUVs like the SsangYong Rexton and XUV500 test their limits on the Madras Motor Race Track.
Now, SUVs aren’t exactly track scorchers that have been tamed for tarmac driving fun. They are huge, rugged and are supposed to showcase their skills on different set of roads and off it too. If you wanted speed and cornering action, you would either buy a sedan or a sporty hatchback that just manages to deem fit with the words tarmac and track in the same sentence. So when Mahindra said that it had some of its privileged customers test their XUV500s and SsangYong Rexton’s on the Madras Motor Race Track through the Purple Club Torque Day, we ask why?
The third edition of the Purple Club Torque Day saw over 150 participants with 51 Mahindra’s premium XUV500 and SsangYong Rexton SUVs take to the track for a spirited performance day out. India’s largest utility manufacturer wanted the Purple club members to experience fast flying laps of the circuit with their SUVs. As part of an exclusive experience, the drive was conducted to propagate the outstanding driving abilities and advanced technology features available on both the premium SUVs that add to the fun quotient of the drive.
All said and done, SUVs are not meant for tracks. Not that they should be barred or are not capable of doing high speeds, but they are put to better challenges and skill tests on different terrains. In this case, both the XUV500 and Rexton are crossovers that provide a bit of SUV fun along with decent driving dynamics. However, you still cannot take the XUV500 for a regular track day. Simply because its just not the same. Your cornering fun has been overwhelmed by the fear of body roll, while sprints in the straight are buoyed down by the heavy weights.
While we are certain the experience was one-of-its-kind for the customers, we also think that the XUV500 and the Rexton could have been better put to use on a different set of a track where customers would get to see the true capabilities of the SUVs. Its a lot like that saying, “if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree…” well you know the rest.
