24 Hour Volkswagen Endurance Drive | Setting the bar high

The 24 Hour Volkswagen Endurance Drive has set the record straight, quite literally. The Volkswagen Taigun 1.0 TSI has broken the record for the maximum distance covered by an SUV in 24 hours, doing 4,423.82 km.

When you see a Volkswagen, one of the first things that comes to mind is that it's built to a standard. The high standard of German engineering that always makes for a robust machine. Your thoughts then move to this brand's cult status as one that always holds promise for those who like driving, with the engaging performance on offer. You also know that safety isn't compromised in all of this, Volkwagens are some of the most reassuring cars in this regard on our roads today.

The Volkswagen Taigun and Virtus have also shown that these attributes haven't been diluted by their Indian-ness. These cars are made in India for India and have if anything, gone on to further establish these traits. But Volkswagen India is now pushing the bar, as high as it gets, by showing that the Taigun and Virtus can be depended on in even the most demanding situations.

It's done this by setting some mind-boggling records. The Volkswagen Virtus GT powered by the 1.5-litre TSI EVO now holds the national record for the most distance covered by a car in 24 hours, having done 4,654.48 km. This is also the national record for the most distance covered by a sedan in 24 hours. The Volkswagen Taigun 1.0 TSI has broken the record for the maximum distance covered by an SUV in 24 hours, doing 4,423.82 km. Further, the Volkswagen Virtus 1.0 MT covered 4,357.21 km, breaking the record for the most distance covered by a car under 1-litre engine capacity in 24 hours. These achievements are especially noteworthy, considering the previous record was handily beaten by these cars and was set by something powered by larger, more powerful engines.

Another national record, one that showed the more frugal side of these impressive Volkswagen cars, was that of the best fuel efficiency in 24 hours for a turbo-petrol engine. The Volkswagen Taigun 1.0 TSI managed 29.8 kmpl while covering 1,305 km. We happened to have played a small part in helping reach this milestone. Volkswagen having made this a collaborative effort, roping in journalists and professional motorsport drivers to be part of this.

Every time we find ourselves at the high-speed track at NATRAX near Indore, one of the only viable places in India where such record runs can take place, we find ourselves awed by the sheer scale of this facility. This 11.3 km track is the largest one in Asia, and while the scenery here is always a highlight, you are usually going around it at speeds that don't leave too much time for appreciation.

This time it was different, being quite the exercise in restraint. The Taigun aiming for the efficiency record had to be driven at a steady 55 kmph, over three-hour stints. This seems simple but there's quite some nuance to driving slowly too. We were up first change, driving in the evening. The most urgent bit of getting into the car and buckling in as quickly as I could done, it was all about holding fort.

The aim was to keep the Taigun AT in the 6th gear at the speed. But the trick is that it usually downshifts here, which isn't great for efficiency. Which meant some exploring. We found that keeping to the first, least banked lane was what would do the trick. We could have gone the easy way of setting the cruise control to the speed and be done with it, but that would be no fun. Which led to, surprisingly, some of the more focused driving we have done recently.

The 1.0-litre TSI starts to hit its stride just about here at 1,600 rpm, which makes for more precise driving. The gearbox is also happy here, knowing it just needs to stick to the top gear. We now just needed to be mindful of not making unnecessary steering inputs and to have enough momentum at hand when we do hit the banks, to not trigger a downshift. These efforts paid off, leading to the overall 29.8 kmpl mileage number, a figure that sounds implausible for an engine of this type.

Of course, as it's already proven in numerous instances before, the Taigun usually makes life easier. Even at these low engine speeds, the small three-cylinder turbo felt smooth and quiet. The precise but light steering also reduced fatigue and we also happened to find another use for the precision in the throttle, where there were no surprises while we kept our foot frozen on the accelerator for hours at end. The seats, which are easily the best at this price point, made their presence felt. We weren't fatigued or aching at any point, and ventilated seats helped our cause further.

During our sunset stint, we had a widescreen view of the track being washed in blazing orange, the wildlife calming down and the night setting in slightly intimidatingly. But life was made easier with the bright LED lighting in the Taigun keeping us safe in these conditions where driving isn't the easiest, especially when you have cars blasting past at over 180 kmph in close quarters.

Quite at odds with the serene experience for us from behind the wheel, was the rush that was the rest of this attempt. The NATRAX pits were alive with activity, and it didn't die down as the night wore on. You had the constant gush of the Taiguns and Virtuses on the high-speed runs in the backdrop, but there wasn't a soul sitting still. You had cars diving in for refuels, driver swaps and tyre rotations, and an efficient crew turning these family cars around in just over a minute. Around these were drivers and supporting crews animatedly discussing the best way to get the best out of these cars, and the rest and dining areas filled with enriching conversation.

But it must be said the underlying theme was one of appreciation of what these cars were achieving. The performance that these cars were able to consistently hold, the confidence they gave the drive to push themselves further, the sheer distance they were covering and the reliability they showed were the highlights. All in cars that were designed for something far more mundane. For some context, all four high-speed cars had done over 2,000 km in 10 hours and 3,000 km in 16.

Volkswagen set out to push the bar forward, and it's been pushed further enough to rewrite the record books.

Words Tuhin Guha

Photography Niket Bhanushali and Volkswagen India