BHPian shifu recently shared this with other enthusiasts: Some dreams really do come true – all we need to do is keep sleeping… preferably till brunch (something I repeat to my wife every time I sleep in on weekends!). Coming back to the point – my excitement knew no bounds when I received the message confirming that I had been selected for the “dream visit” to the MBIL Chakan plant. I’ve visited Factory 56 at Sindelfingen before, but Chakan was always on the “someday” list. So when the invite came, I genuinely had to pinch myself – twice – just to be sure I wasn’t hallucinating. A huge thank you to Team-BHP and MBIL for making this possible, and for pampering us thoroughly. Photo disclaimer: Before anyone asks – yes, the number of photos I took can be counted on one hand, even if you lost two fingers. I was so engrossed in the experience that I completely forgot about my phone. Luckily, the other members took enough photos to cover my artistic incompetence. Trust me, you’re not missing anything I clicked. We kicked off at the BU Bhandari dealership. I was especially looking forward to meeting fellow BHPian gauravdgr8, who casually drove down from Hyderabad. Not by flight. Not by train. Actually drove. If that’s not petrolhead spirituality, I don’t know what is. After devouring a very generous breakfast, we split into pairs and got our pre-assigned cars along with a driver “for contingency”. Which is corporate speak for: “In case your enthusiasm tries to override physics”. I got a GLC300, and the universe smiled upon me: my partner sawnilrules was coming directly to Chakan. Which meant…entire car – all to myself. Just me, German engineering and a driver who was wonderfully chatty. It was an hour’s drive, punctuated with bad roads, and Pune traffic. But the driver and I had such a good chat that I hardly noticed. And since I didn’t have to stop for driver swaps, I reached Chakan first. This is the closest I will ever come to winning a Formula 1 race. I got to meet the senior MBIL team and also greet Mr. Santosh Iyer before the crowd arrived. The rest of the day is very well described by the other members. So I will skip those details. In true Team-BHP style, I will add few: “The Smaller but Significant things”:Mr. Santosh Iyer’s interaction was a highlight – knowledgeable, candid, and sprinkled with humour. At one point, he mentioned the important role that Team-BHP has played in the Indian automotive scene. He spoke about a thread where a BHPian had “engineered” a remote boot-release button using something that sounded dangerously close to tape and optimism. Meanwhile, the OEM had concluded the feature was too expensive to add (He didn’t name the car/OEM, but from the era he hinted at, I suspect it might have been the Ford Ikon). Moral of the story: Indian customers can out-engineer cost-engineers.During the plant visit, we went past a canteen where everyone at the factory has lunch – including the MD. No VIP tables, no special menu. Every one is equal, and part of the same team. Such a simple way to deliver a strong message!Since it was a Saturday, the plant was only lightly staffed. But the folks who did show up for our visit weren’t asked to – they came on their own just to make our visit special. That level of pride and ownership is rare. Having worked with Mercedes teams in India and Sindelfingen, meeting the Chakan team only reinforced my belief that great brands are built by truly exceptional people.Mr. Santosh Iyer is a genuine petrolhead. For him, the car doesn’t matter – even a Maruti Espresso will do. But if he had to pick? A C63, of course. Some choices are eternal.MBIL is part of a PPP initiative to reduce road fatalities… the kind of project where every saved life matters, and every upgraded junction silently thanks engineers for not taking shortcuts. Engineering upgrades, enhanced enforcement, improved emergency response, and community engagement has been implemented in stages on various stretches like the Samruddhi Mahamarg in Maharashtra and NH-44 in Telangana. GTO took the opportunity to address the Cars24 topic, which had been the unofficial murmuring theme of the day. He shared how long he’s known the founders, why he trusts them, and how this collaboration will help modernize the forum. Direct, transparent, classic GTO.Fun coincidence: Our group had “pairs within pairs” – two Adityas (Team-BHP), two Amits (MBIL), and two Shubhams (one from each side). If someone had shouted any of these names in a corridor, at least two people would have turned around.Once the event wrapped up, I got to ride back in a GLC 43 with BHPian sachin_cs. It’s a lovely machine – shame the Pune traffic didn’t let us actually use any of the horses. But the company made up for it. He also casually mentioned that he and his mom sometimes drive from Raipur to Hyderabad just to eat Hyderabadi biryani. Drive down Saturday, biryani, drive back Sunday. That’s not a roadtrip – that’s commitment to culinary excellence! We ended the day exchanging stories about how Team-BHP has helped us make friendships that outlast cars, warranties, and sometimes even manufacturer. The sight that greeted us when we reached the plant Mr.Shekhar who was with us throughout the day. Amazingly knowledgeable gentleman! The whole staff was proud about what they were custodians of, and it showed. Mr.Amit (Retd Major from Indian Army, has done ironman multiple times), and is responsible for the Training and Warehouse at the plant. Thats me!The steep incline on this track gave a scare at the beginning.Thats one of the Shubham(s) who was also the instructor for the AMG event. The other Shubham is yours truly! The two hot hatches!Cruising in an AMG (at 10kmph!) Days like these remind me how powerful passion and community can be. My heartfelt gratitude to Team-BHP for the camaraderie and to MBIL for opening their doors – this dream visit will stay with me for years. One video to sum up the experience. Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.
