[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Tradition - The word that comes to my mind when I think of Mahindra and Independence Day! It all started with the Thar launch on the 15th of August 2020, during Covid times, everyone confined to the idiot boxes. Followed by the XUV 7OO in 2021 and Scorpio N in 2022 - watching a Mahindra unveil had become part of the Independence Day holiday experience. But all of it only on the big screen! Milking the 'Make in India' narrative and sentiments? May be so, but all three of these products did make our markets sit up and take notice. The waiting periods are proof enough! All three made me want one too - the Thar for its looks and capabilities, the XUV 7OO for its superb feature list and drivetrain combinations and the Scorpio because nothing else would do! So, when GTO passed on this opportunity to attend the Mahindra Independence Day event this year - I signed up, hoping to be one of the first to experience the Thar 5-door!

Well, as we all know by now - that did not happen! Instead, the event this year was called the "Mahindra Futurescape" - an attempt at showcasing the bold future of Mahindra farm and automotive divisions. The event was held in Cape Town, South Africa for two reasons - 1. South Africa is an important market for Mahindra's global aspirations and 2. The Independence Day connections - As Mahatma Gandhi once said - “I was born in India but was made in South Africa” and Mahindra wanted to showcase their new calling from this land. There were two product unveils from the automotive side - the Thar.e Vision and the Mahindra Global Pik Up. Incase you folks missed those updates - leaving the thread links below:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/elect...lose-look.html (Mahindra THAR.e Vision: A Close Look)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...lose-look.html (Mahindra Global Pik Up: A Close Look)

Both these products were prototypes though! The drive experience was with two regular Mahindra cars - the XUV 7OO and the ScorpioN. The agenda was fairly simple - take the cars for an entire day and experience Cape Town and some of its attractions. The rules were also simple - Drive safe and experience the competencies of these Mahindra cars in a global setting and that lunch would be arranged at Cape Point and you get to avail it if you visit during lunch hours. The cars were to be handed over to us in the morning by 8am and returned by 7pm - a good 11 hours at our disposal. Thank you Mahindra for making it so simple!

The route that we ended up taking for these 12 hours - Onward in the XUV 7OO to Cape Point and return in the ScorpioN:



PS: A big shoutout to Deep Majumdar from Business World for being such a wonderful drive companion, photographer and above all - a safe driver!

Disclaimer: Mahindra invited Team-BHP for the Futurescape drive in Cape Town, South Africa. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Cape Town is a very beautiful city, and has stunning landscapes surrounding it - I had realized as much when the Ethiopian Airlines flight starting descending below the clouds. Since the logistics would be handled by PR, I did zero research and watched no vlogs before landing up! Needless to say - Cape Town was nothing like my expectations and far exceeded it. That said, the drive experience was going to change my perceptions even more...



After a quick breakfast and drive briefing, we had a small photo session before heading out to the parking lot



Full credit to Mahindra where due - they had a very large fleet of cars present for the drive, parked in the basement of a nearby convention center. My initial allotment was going to be the XUV 7OO AX7L in Red Rage colour. We quickly made our way to the cars and proceeded for flag off!



Flag off was held in batches and thankfully we were in Batch 1. However, the timelines were slowly delayed by an hour and we were out on the roads only by 9AM



Heading out of the city was a slow affair, but not chaotic as our Indian cities could be! Traffic was manageable and flowing most of the time and above all - people followed road rules. We were soon out on the beautiful M6 coastal highway, heading towards Chapman's Peak



Presenting our morning drive companion, the Red Rage Mahindra XUV 7OO AX7L



This coastal drive towards Chapman's Peak has incredible scenery on offer and multiple view points where you would want to stop, every other minute! Clean blue skies, deep blue waters and beautiful green scape - a beautiful day to be out on a drive. Moreover - the temperatures remained very pleasant through the day - slightly hovering around 20 degrees.



With the XUV 5OO, Mahindra had claimed that the colours were chosen to feel good in natural environs. Not sure if any such claims were made for the 7OO, but this Red Rage colour did stand out in this South African landscape



In South Africa, the car comes featured with the 2.0 Turbo petrol that produces 149KW (199hp) and 380Nm, only mated to an automatic transmission. This combination proved potent to keep up with the traffic at all times and also derive some excitement out on the open roads.



We stopped at a viewpoint a couple of minutes ahead of Chapman's peak without realizing the same. The views all around are just stunning!



The view from Chapman's peak:



South Africa seemed to have a very large divide between the rich and the poor - with the middle class not as prominent as we see in India. It is common to find people requesting alms and also street vendors for multiple items. This one guy had beautifully arranged his collectibles for tourists on the side walls of Chapman's peak, one of the only moments were I wished I was carrying some local currency on the drive!



This road features on many lists as one of the most beautiful coastal road experiences in the world. The road, locally known as “Chappies”, is also claimed to be a popular destination for international car ad campaigns, from the likes of Mercedes and BMW.



The scenic drive "Hewn out of the face of sheer mountains" seems true here:



Back in the 7OO to the next destination:



The cars slowly headed down the winding roads into Kommetjie.



One corner suddenly opens up this landscape view and my jaw drops! The pictures don't do justice, but this was one of the most surreal landscapes I have ever seen and it just suddenly appears into view, post a corner. To top it all - there were horses running on the beach then, gone by the time we found parking and doubled back. If you zoom in, you can see the ranch nearby! Even the house looked right out of a smurfs movie!



The blue of the trapped water body contrasted well with the blue in the sky and of the ocean. The sands were clean and white! Man, what a landscape - and what a shame the photographs can't capture the beauty of what I felt in person!



The last of the mountain sections awaited as we rolled into the plains of Kommetjie:



Guess this was the last time we were part of the convoy, for soon we would be betting on a hunch and diverting on to a beautiful secluded beach.



Clear water and sand, sunny but the temperatures still hovering around the pleasant 20s - this was a good place to relax for few minutes



Not to mention - secluded and without any disturbance:



After a few minutes of silence and soaking in the views, we hit the roads again - onwards to Cape Point.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

From the beautiful M6, we were now on the more urban M65



The landscape remained green throughout the M65, the a good number of farms on either side. We are in Table Mountain National Park territory now



Off the M65, and on to the Cape of Good Hope Drive



The XUV 7OO taking a breather while we take some pictures with the Signboard



This is a closed toll road inside Table Mountain National Park, and not a highway. We were warned of Baboons and were informed not to try and interact with them in any way as they can be far more dangerous and aggressive than we generally perceive them to be! We didn't see any! Btw, Suzuki - Toyota partnership going strong in SA as well...



The landscape, however, was beautiful:



The XUV 7OO standing out with its bright colours, in this subtle landscape:



Mountains in layers, a mixture of arid and green scapes added to the beauty and drama of the place.



Road surface is generally good throughout the Cape Town region of South Africa, and road rules are nicely followed.



What a beautiful day to be out on such a nice drive in a topless car! I envied this guy, but then, I am reminded that motorcycles do exist for the rest of us poor people to enjoy this world



Heading further down the road, the view suddenly opens up to reveal the ocean. Beautiful dark blue hues against the light blue sky - the western coast of Cape Town is quite a sight whenever the view opens up!



Ostriches on the beach! Damn...



My only encounter with this majestic bird was in the zoos of India and somehow it always looked dirty and in poor shape! Never thought much about it and now I realize it was just the upkeep - for these birds looked majestic and beautiful.



Not to mention - dangerous and menacing!



The XUV 7OO parked at the Cape of Good Hope! A name so often repeated in our history textbooks as a landmark point in the western search for India, it felt a bit heroic to be parked there in an Indian car!



The only crowd around was at this particular board - people waiting patiently in queues to pose with it. Instagram to blame?



Meanwhile the rocks, sculpted with and dramatic from the crashing waves - remain almost empty from tourists!



There is a small walk that leads you to the Cape of Good Hope viewpoint, though if just for the views, I would recommend you skip it and head to the Cape Point lighthouse viewpoint instead.



Back in the 7OO and ready to hit the lunch place at Cape Point. One last look at this modern cabin before we switch to the more utilitarian interiors of the ScorpioN

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

The second half of our day would be in this, the Mahindra ScorpioN. Interestingly, while the XUV 7OO was only available with a petrol option for the South African market - the ScorpioN is only available with the diesel - the same 2.2L mHawk diesel motor that produces 172hp and 400Nm of torque, paired to a six speed automatic transmission.



But before we set off in the ScorpioN, lunch and a visit to Cape Point was on the agenda. Cape Point is a promontory and a good uphill hike for those interested - there are also well defined walkways that lead up to the top. However, due to our lack of time, we ended up taking the Flying Dutchman (although this one is environment friendly and not as sexy at it looks in the Pirates movies!). The funicular service leads you all the way to the top in 2 minutes.



View of the beach while climbing up in the funicular:



A closer look at the hiking pathway:



The old lighthouse at Cape Point is still a small climb from where the funicular service ends. There are staircases all the way to the top



History of the lighthouse - the new one is placed lower to avoid the cloud cover



A long way from home!



Cape Point offers some spectacular views, especially towards the ocean side



A closer look at the mountain ranges along the adjacent beaches. Unlike the popular notion back home thanks to our history books, Cape of Good Hope is not the southern most point of Africa, it is the south western. Cape Agulhas, another 150 kms south of here makes for the southern most tip



A view of the landscape built into this promontory - beautifully done and maintained.



Time to get back to the ScorpioN



Back on the road, the next destination would be Boulders beach.



Look at that road surface leading upto this remote tourist destination!



An absolute pleasure to drive



Within no time, we were close to Boulders beach, one of the most scenic places I have ever visited!



Stunning landscape, which could easily be made into wallpaper material without even basic photography skills!



I wish to return to Cape Town some day in personal capacity and spend a couple of weeks taking in this natural beauty! For now - it was time to go watch some Penguins

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

As mentioned earlier - I never read up or saw vlogs on the place before landing up here (not that I recommend it - we could bank on the PR to chart out the logistics). Hence I had no idea that Cape Town is home to Penguins. These African penguins are an endangered species and can only be found in certain areas of South Africa and Namibia



Boulders Beach, on the eastern side of the Cape is where you are guaranteed to see these African Penguins.



Doesn't that make you go all awwww!



The African Penguins look different from the poster child of the species - the Emperor Penguins - these are smaller, have a distinctive black mask with a pink patch on the face and a thick rounded beak.



A closer look at the facial features:



Those look like a flock of Cormorants?



A curious Dassie doesn't seem pleased with all the attention brought in by the Penguins



Boulders beach gets its name from large granite boulders that adds to the beauty of the place



There are well-laid out pathways to walk along the beach and penguins usually do nest very close to the walkways



One final look at the beautiful beach before we move on! Cape Town has such picturesque landscapes all around.



It was time to head back into the city. Since we were on the eastern coast by now, there was no sunset to speak of! But the twilight was still beautiful and we made one last stop to soak in this view before the M4 took a turn inland.



The ScorpioN at the viewpoint:



South Africa, especially Cape Town was well beyond my expectations. Sort of like a mini Europe - with excellent weather at this time of the year, beautiful vistas, well paved roads and manners.



Heading back to the city. This certainly was a beautiful drive experience - made very enjoyable in the XUV 7OO and the ScorpioN. Even though the XUV 7OO was more enjoyable to drive, I think I will pick the ScorpioN given a chance - for its character! As the daylight weaned off - we listened to some nice songs on the excellent Sony Infotainment and cruised back into the city.



After dropping off the cars, dinner and meetup with other media representatives was arranged at the Harbour House. We were to leave Cape Town next day and I would be having a tough time with Ethiopian Airlines afterwards - but that is a story for another day and another thread! Thanks for reading and Good bye

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[tp_dominator]

Cape town is actually such a beautiful place with near perfect roads to drive on. I think the route you covered is among one of the best that one could find in the world. I visited Cape Town this June and really wished I could drive on those roads with such stunning views. We also covered the same route as charted out by you in your post.

Few fun facts about the Chapman's Peak Drive (as told by our Guide there):-

1. Its famous among the Bollywood folk too with the road featuring in the MS Dhoni movie in the song "Jab Tak" where Sushant rides a Harley on the road. I am sure there are other movies too.

2. Once a driver on his Mercedes fell down the Chapman's Peak Drive and survived! I am sure you can relate after having driven there how steep it is. Mercedes-Benz were quick to respond and gave the guy another MB and used this incident for their marketing (I haven't verified this claim though).

Driving on those roads with the Mahindras would have been a surreal experience I am sure. The Red Rage XUV is complementing the photos a lot! Only missed opportunity here seems to be Mahindra did not take the convoy to the Table Mountain. That would have been a nice drive too along with the steep inclines one gets to experience on that road with a panoramic view of the city.

Also, regarding the Ethiopian Airlines, they are simply pathetic. I was surprised to find for such an important country and city, there are no direct flights from Mumbai/Delhi.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by tp_dominator

2. Once a driver on his Mercedes fell down the Chapman's Peak Drive and survived! I am sure you can relate after having driven there how steep it is. Mercedes-Benz were quick to respond and gave the guy another MB and used this incident for their marketing (I haven't verified this claim though).

Glad you also got to Cape Town recently. Did you find it like a mini Europe? Or at least that was my impressions.

The ad campaign is true -

https://youtu.be/UF119TQVRVQ?si=y8-S2ARbEydldnCW

Originally Posted by tp_dominator

Only missed opportunity here seems to be Mahindra did not take the convoy to the Table Mountain.

A lucky few who got an extra day due to flight availability reasons had this opportunity.

Originally Posted by tp_dominator

Also, regarding the Ethiopian Airlines, they are simply pathetic. I was surprised to find for such an important country and city, there are no direct flights from Mumbai/Delhi.

Usually all airlines do connecting flights through their mother hub airport - it being Addis Ababa for Ethiopian. Only South African Airlines or any of the Indian operators could have had direct flights, but then Cape Town won't have as much travel demand either IMHO.

[PaddleShifter]

Wonderful photos!!

I have a query. Did you find the South African XUV700 & ScirpioN to be similar to the ones sold here in India? Or did they feel better than ours?

The reason why I ask this is because I see owners posting about a lot of niggles (both minor as well as major) in the respective official reviews threads.

A country like India has a defective consumer protection system (the existing one has many issues IMHO) and brands use it to their advantage. But, many countries where Mahindra sells (e.g. Australia) must be having better consumer protection systems where a customer does not need to wear out the soles of their shoes running here and there.

How does Mahindra establish themselves in such places?

I apologize if this is off topic as I did not find it worth to start a new thread regarding this.

[kkunal.shah]

I was in Cape Town August, the weather then was super cold. Just like you I landed there without any research & found the place exceeding all my expectations a beautiful & scenic place.
Being far off from India not many people visit Cape Town but it gives Europe vides abit at much lower cost.

[SJM1214]

Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It has it all, Mountains, beaches, treks & trails, and amazing cosmopolitan vibes.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

What a beautiful day to be out on such a nice drive in a topless car! I envied this guy, but then, I am reminded that motorcycles do exist for the rest of us poor people to enjoy this world

Attachment 2497388

I spotted this Cobra at the Boulders Beach Parking area, Nicely maintained and neat car.

[varunswnt]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

This certainly was a beautiful drive experience - made very enjoyable in the XUV 7OO and the ScorpioN. Even though the XUV 7OO was more enjoyable to drive, I think I will pick the ScorpioN given a chance - for its character!

Beautifully summed up Drive report and fantastic other worldly images that you captured.

This particular line of yours really caught my attention. Could you put a short post on your drive experience comparing 2 cars? Would love to hear your perspective on these 2 cars and your take on Scorpio-N and it's appealing character for that matter knowing that you own and drive Jeep Compass.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by kkunal.shah

I was in Cape Town August, the weather then was super cold. Just like you I landed there without any research & found the place exceeding all my expectations a beautiful & scenic place.
Being far off from India not many people visit Cape Town but it gives Europe vides abit at much lower cost.

Glad to see this being a common opinion about Cape Town.

Originally Posted by SJM1214

I spotted this Cobra at the Boulders Beach Parking area, Nicely maintained and neat car.

Wow! Nice to see More images of this car, especially on the forum here.

Originally Posted by PaddleShifter

I have a query. Did you find the South African XUV700 & ScirpioN to be similar to the ones sold here in India? Or did they feel better than ours?

Yes the cars are similar to the ones here, almost even in specs.

Originally Posted by PaddleShifter

How does Mahindra establish themselves in such places?

Mahindra currently plays the value card, similar as in the Indian market, but they have a task ahead of them if they have to upscale to compete the likes of Toyota without price advantage. I heard some of the local SA guys asking why they would buy a Mahindra Pik Up if the Hilux is available at a slightly higher premium.