XUV500 contest winners unleash their vehicles at the Buddh International Circuit
A rare chance for privileged XUV500 customers to get behind the wheel and experience the BIC track
New Delhi May 7, 2012: Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M), Indian’s leading SUV manufacturer, provided a rare opportunity to its privileged XUV500 customers to experience the thrill of the world famous Buddh International Circuit (BIC) track in Greater Noida, at the inaugural edition of its ‘XUV500 Torque Day’. 100 XUV500 Purple Club Members were selected through a unique contest to unleash their vehicles at the BIC track, where the Indian Formula One Grand Prix was held recently. The idea was to celebrate the spirit of thrill and performance of one of the most sought-after SUVs, the XUV500. Five passionate XUV500 fans were also selected from the fan contest on Facebook to participate in the ‘XUV500 Torque Day’.
The ‘XUV500 Torque Day’ was conceived by Mahindra Adventure to provide a unique motorsports experience to Purple Club customers by giving them an opportunity to get behind the wheel of their XUV500s on the BIC track. The customers also experienced fast flying laps of the circuit with three times National Champion and APRC (Asia Pacific Rally Championship) winning driver, Gaurav Gill and INRC (Indian National Rally Championship) winning driver, Lohitt Urs.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vivek Nayer, Senior Vice President – Marketing, Automotive Division, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. said, “This customer contest for Purple Club members was an opportunity for them to get a unique first-hand experience of the world class BIC Formula One track. In keeping with our promise of providing adrenaline pumping experiences, this event was a true test of both man and machine. After several rally wins, the XUV500 proved its mettle yet again and scorched the BIC track.”
Mr. Nayer further added, “The idea was to propagate the outstanding driving abilities and the advanced technology features of the XUV500 which includes ESP, AWD, ABS, Traction Control, amongst others, while providing unlimited fun for our privileged Purple Club members. Experiences like these also leverage the changing aspirations and lifestyles of upwardly mobile Indian consumers.”
The adrenaline rush was palpable amongst the enthusiasts. Real time tweets and updates on various social networking sites by participants further added to the overall excitement of the rally. Updates on the event are available along with photographs and videos on the Facebook fan page of the XUV500.
Mahindra Adventure Team drivers and the winners of the Dakshin Dare Rally 2012 and the Desert Storm Rally 2012 - Gaurav Gill and Lohitt Urs - were also felicitated along with their Super XUV500.
Awards and Accolades
The XUV500 has received a tremendous response from customers and reviewers alike. It has received 22 awards so far. These comprise of the prestigious ‘Car of the Year’, ‘SUV of the year’ and ‘Viewers Choice Car of the Year’ by ET – Zigwheels Awards 2011. It has also received laurels like ‘SUV of the Year’, ‘Readers Choice Award’ and ‘Best Value for Money Car’ from Top Gear Magazine Awards 2011, ‘SUV of the Year’ and ‘Viewers Choice Car of the Year’ awards from CNBC TV18–Overdrive Awards 2012 and ‘SUV of the Year’ from NDTV Car & Bike Awards 2012 and Business Standard Motoring 2012 Awards. The XUV500 was also declared the ‘SUV of the Year’, ‘Best Value for Money Car of the Year’ and ‘Viewers Choice SUV of the Year’ at the Bloomberg UTV Autocar India Awards. It also received the ‘SUV of the Year Award 2011-2012’ from Top Gear Malayalam and two Golden Steering Wheel Awards 2012 from Auto Bild India in two categories viz. ‘SUV/UV 2011 Award’ and the ‘Viewer's Choice Award’ where the viewers of Headlines Today and Aaj Tak polled for their favourite set of hot wheels. It also received the ‘SUV of the Year’ award from Car India Awards 2012. Acclaimed bloggers like TeamBHP, Vicky.in, Motor Vikatan, Auto Junction and Auto Beam also awarded the XUV500 with ‘Car of the Year / SUV of the Year’ titles.
About The Mahindra Group
The Mahindra Group focuses on enabling people to rise. Mahindra operates in the key industries that drive economic growth, enjoying a leadership position in tractors, utility vehicles, information technology and vacation ownership. Mahindra has a presence in the automotive industry, agribusiness, aerospace, components, consulting services, defence, energy, financial services, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, retail, steel and two wheelers. A US $14.4 billion multinational group based in Mumbai, India, Mahindra employs more than 144,000 people in over 100 countries.
In 2011, Mahindra featured on the Forbes Global 2000 list, a listing of the biggest and most powerful listed companies in the world. Dun & Bradstreet also ranked Mahindra at No. 1 in the automobile sector in its list of India’s Top 500 Companies. In 2010, Mahindra featured in the Credit Suisse Great Brands of Tomorrow. In 2011, Mahindra acquired a majority stake in Korea’s SsangYong Motor Company.
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For further enquiries please contact:
Ms. Roma Balwani
Senior VP & Group Head - Corporate Communication
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd
Phone: (+91-22) 24975176
Email: balwani.roma@mahindra.com