Mahabaleshwar: If you are planning to go on a road trip with your friends and family, we have one curated for you for a perfect weekend getaway. Team NDTV Auto embarked on a journey in the spacious, sporty and comfortable Volkswagen Taigun GT from Mumbai. Our destination was Mahabaleshwar - a hill station in Maharashtra known for strawberries.
The journey is in line with the spirit of Volkswagen Experiences, where participants can enjoy beautiful roads, sample local delicacies and indulge in soulful activities. Our choice of wheel for the trip was a Volkswagen Taigun GT. The 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine is powerful and responsive - one that we definitely loved coasting on the Atal Setu and national highways. It effortlessly maintained triple-digit speeds on the highways and overtaking was never traffic difficult.
The beauty and grandeur of western ghats is splendid and the roads are delightful to drive on. The last 40 kilometres leading to Mahabaleshwar is the ghat section, which means technical bends and sharp change in height. The Taigun GT, based on the renowned MQB-AO-IN, is definitely among the best SUVs to be driven on these serpentine roads. The handling is crisp and the steering response is so crisp that driving the Taigun on the curves is a joy.
Located roughly 4,800-feet above the sea level, Mahabaleshwar is the home to strawberry cultivation in India. The Volkswagen Experience ensured we had some insights about it too.We participated in strawberry plucking exercise in a farm. The plantation owners articulated the science of strawberry farming and the knowledgeable session concluded with fresh and delicious strawberry cream.
Volkswagen Experiences Mahabaleshwar, delivered a unique blend of thrilling adventure, discovering local cuisines and unravelling hidden destinations in this action-packed two-day adventure. Participants from across India drove in a convoy of over a dozen Volkswagen cars from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar and beyond, across major motorways, back roads and the magnificent countryside of Maharashtra. The thoughtfully curated itinerary brought authentic experiences to the fore with a sampling of Indigenous farm-to-plate cuisines and exploring the significance of sustainable agriculture.
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