Frontlist | Book Review: Tracing the roots of Mahindra to the new Thar

Frontlist | Book Review: Tracing the roots of Mahindra to the new Thar
on Jan 08, 2021

No matter how much you know about Mahindra or how many Mahindra vehicles you've owned, it's only when you read Adil's Timeless Mahindra that you'll realise the ocean of information you missed out on exploring.

If you are someone who loves to read about cars then there’s a new and unmissable coffee table book penned by veteran auto journalist, author and historian Adil Jal Darukhanawala. The book titled Timeless Mahindra is quite simply a visually spectacular Mahindra museum you can gift yourself as I recently found out. The book’s launch coincided with the 75th anniversary of Mahindra and the introduction of the all-new Thar. Spread over 332 pages this book is loaded with little-known trivia about not just Mahindra vehicles but also about the company’s past, technology development and a lot more. The highlight of the book is the immense depth of information coupled up with a meticulous approach to every page, graphic and caption, something Adil is well-known for. Adil is a renowned automotive historian and author and is popularly referred to as the ‘Boss Man’ in the automotive sector. He has many successful book titles to his credit and has been the brain behind some of the most successful auto magazines in India. He has been a source of inspiration for young journalists eyeing the automotive sector and this book is one of the many reasons why he commands such stature. Through the pages, you will be taken way back to the roots of Mahindra’s humble beginnings in India. The journey of Mahindra from the Willys Jeep CJ-2A (first vehicle assembled by M&M in India) to the CJ-3B, which Adil terms as the spiritual ancestor to the new Thar, is a part that will glue you to the book and give you a taste of things to come in the next pages. One of the highlights of the book is the vast amount of topics covered about Mahindra’s history. It captures the role of Mahindra vehicles in the film industry to how the Indian Armed Forces went on to love and depend on their Mahindras. There’s a deep dive into the brand’s history in motorsports as well and if you thought this was it then you couldn’t be more wrong. The book goes on to detail aspects ranging from Mahindra’s manufacturing modernisation and development of Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) to the efforts made on the front of customisation as well. And this is nowhere close to the end! Things go right up to the development and production of the new Thar that is already a big success in the country. What makes reading this book a treat is the usage of awe-inspiring visuals, detailed graphics and a level of attention to details even in captions that only Adil can possibly manage. Like many Indians, I did have my share of history growing up with Mahindra since a young age and considered myself to have good knowledge about the brand and its models through the decades. However, it’s only when I read Timeless Mahindra I realised the vast amount of details that I was unaware of. The sheer depth of information and the visual treat of rare pictures in the book is sure to leave you amazed and that is when one realises that once you start reading it you just can’t stop. No matter how well you think you know about Mahindra or how many Mahindra vehicles you’ve owned, it’s only when you read Adil’s Timeless Mahindra that you’ll realise the ocean of information you missed out on exploring. The book can be bought from adiljal.com for Rs 5,400 and for this price the slice of history it offers makes it a sure shot prized possession for any automotive enthusiast. Source: Express Drives