[GTO]

High Points

- Bijoykumar Y, former Editor - BSM, will be leading the Mahindra Adventure initiative.

- The Great Escape is all set to double the number of events from 10 to 20 in 2011-12, and add several new locations.

- Multi-Day Great Escapes planned, such as the Monastery Escape (10 days), Royal New Year Escape (6 days) and Spice Escape (2 days).

- Non-Mahindra vehicle owners will get a chance to participate in the Great Escapes, by hiring the Thar / Scorpio / Bolero.

- To launch a TSD (time, speed, distance) rally. The ‘Monsoon Challenge 2011’ is scheduled for July 2011. A total of 1500 km will be traversed in 3 days with Rs. 10 lakh prize money.

- Mahindra Adventure will also enter official teams in the Dakshin Dare, Raid de Himalaya and Desert Storm.

NOTE : Schedule of events attached to this post.

[DKG]

Great !! I had heard about this just last month and now its official ! Right way ahead for Mahindra and the Thar

[GTO]

Originally Posted by DKG

Good I had heard about this just last month and now its official ! Right way ahead for Mahindra and the Thar

You betcha! I am particularly impressed with the concept of multi-day great escapes, and the fact that non-Jeep owners can rent 4x4s for offroading. That is just awesome.

[ACM]

Renting a Thar/Scorpio for the GE sound totally cool. Will help non M&M owners get a taste of the this bit of culture.

It is a nice concept, just wonder if they might be overbooked all the while.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by GTO

I am particularly impressed with the concept of multi-day great escapes, and the fact that non-Jeep owners can rent 4x4s for offroading. That is just awesome.

This is just what I anticipated with a vehicle like Thar getting launched. The whole game will improve. More events meaning more participants and just overall better for the offroading world. Great news !

[Tejas@perioimpl]

For this to work, they'll need to get their pricing right. For both the event and the vehicle rent charges.

EDIT

DKG:

This is just what I anticipated with a vehicle like Thar getting launched. The whole game will improve. More events meaning more participants and just overall better for the offroading world. Great news !

It's a double edged sword. They are taking complete noobs off the street and into the offroad world. One bad incident and it will completely spoil the show. MM usually have a half hearted briefing during the MGEs

[DKG]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

For this to work, they'll need to get their pricing right. For both the event and the vehicle rent charges.

Tejas like how people spend for holidays it will attract a new breed of enthusiasts who will get into the sport afresh now that the facility of renting a 4x4 and having a fun family outing becomes a possibility.

Its bound to work. And people will pay to play !

Don't forget we were all noobs once upon a time We were the lucky few who got access a lot earlier. Now the general public will have the opportunity to formally get introduced to the sport. Like any other adventure activity the risks are high. A few decades ago going up Mt Everest was possible only for very few. Today with things more organised so many more people are able to scale the mountain, and so many more dying attempting to scale it

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by DKG

Tejas like how people spend for holidays it will attract a new breed of enthusiasts who will get into the sport afresh now that the facility of renting a 4x4 and having a fun family outing becomes a possibility.

Its bound to work. And people will pay to play !

It's a good concept no doubt about it. My concern is that has MM done their homework right? If MGE is a benchmark, then i'm scared. They will need to get the training part right. Their existing guys (not people like vinod or BD), but the others don't know the difference between a 4x4 and their elbow.

They should take some regular off road guys to these event and make them marshals/trainers etc. Or atleast get their guys trained.

Some recovery techniques seen by the MM guys are outright dangerous. And the worst thing is that they do not listen!

Note: M&M guys, please take this in the right spirit if you reading it. It's healthy criticism.

EDIT: we were noobs who bought their own 4x4s and had the desire to learn and were taught by passionate people; Passionate people who love the sport and don't look at it as a business venture.

[GTO]

They are taking complete noobs off the street and into the offroad world.

Bijoy - a thorough car guy - is leading the show. I'm sure we'll all see a positive change in the way that GE's are managed & handled. Some of us will remember Shrikant Karani and the outstanding manner in which he conducted the older Great Escapes. I expect no less from Bijoy.

@ Tejas : All of us were noobs at one point. And the great escape doesn't have such difficult stages that we should be too worried about first-time offroaders. In fact, I'm happy that the GE is easy enough to allow newbies to get in & join the fun. For the serious offroaders, we anyways make our own path, no? In the 15 years that the Great Escape has been conducted, I have not yet heard of one major injury or fatality. If they have managed this with 10,000 Jeep entries (maybe more) so far, I'm pretty sure things will only get better going forward.

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

For this to work, they'll need to get their pricing right. For both the event and the vehicle rent charges.

Considering that you will be renting a vehicle, and subjecting it to abuse (and potentially damage), I don't expect it to be cheap. Offroading is NOT a cheap sport if you consider the $$$ spent at the garage. And this is positioned as a lifestyle initiative, a segment that isn't necessarily price sensitive.

[headers]

Originally Posted by GTO

Offroading is NOT a cheap sport if you consider the $$$ spent at the garage. And this is positioned as a lifestyle initiative, a segment that isn't necessarily price sensitive.

@GTO: I started offroad because it was cheaper than trying to race in the racing circuit.

OFFROAD as a sport in India is still in its infancy! IFF the budgets are going to be high, there wont be many takers cos India is such a country where budgets speak the loudest!

It is a good initiative by Mahindra though and lets hope the sport does take off!

[rallystar]

Hi guys,
If what i have is right then the monsoon challenge 2011 tsd rally will be held from 21 to 24 th of july from Nasik to Goa.

[fazalaliadil]

A smart marketing strategy from Mahindra. There is a brain who has finally worked this out, high time. Mahindra vehicle on rent, is like an extended, fun filled, paid-test drive with a carrot at the end of the event.

For noobs (once us) its an opening like never before, driving the Thar, a well timed promotional move.

MGE are not hard core stuff even by Indian standards. Tejas, I think it should work, inculcating this sport even in ladies, who can indulge in a soft off roading.

Try targeting the ladies, its imminent that the the guys will land up there.
Regards,

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by GTO

Bijoy - ------

GTO, time and again you manage to hit the nail on the head. Very, very well said!

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

MGE are not hard core stuff even by Indian standards. Tejas, I think it should work, inculcating this sport even in ladies, who can indulge in a soft off roading.

Although I agree MGE is no hard core stuff, I must also state that Indian offroading scene is still in its nascent stages. We have a long way to go (no rocket science needed to understand this). I think others will also agree to this.

Try targeting the ladies, its imminent that the the guys will land up there.

Oh yeah!

(noob Spike)

[fazalaliadil]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

Although I agree MGE is no hard core stuff, I must also state that Indian offroading scene is still in its nascent stages. We have a long way to go (no rocket science needed to understand this). I think others will also agree to this.

Oh yeah!

(noob Spike)

Spike,

You missed my point, Indian off roading is at an embryonic stage compared to off roading in the west.

And, Yeah!!
Regards,

[MileCruncher]

This is indeed a great initiative and as Fazal saab a great marketing strategy to get people to buy your vehicle and also create a cult following.

Cheers

P.S: Don't see Hyderabad in this year's MGE schedule