A STAYCATION WITH A SPRINKLE OF LUXURY for slaves of schedules

Driving pleasure and comfort on the highway — personifi es Mercedes S Class and what better wheels to reach Conrad Pune

- Dhiram Shah

THERE are few injections of energy that can compare to a quick weekend trip to somewhere nearby, to revel in the comforts of man and spend time with those who matter. Staycations are catching on and the folks and I decided to take the Mercedes S Class for a spin from Mumbai to Pune recently. We had two things to look forward to: Driving on the impressive Mumbai Pune expressway, to the equally impressive destination, Conrad, Pune.

For a family of four, there couldn’t be a better pick than the S Class. We needed space, a comfortable ride and the ability to wind our way through Mumbai's city traffic. We chose the diesel version, and unlike many presumptions, we were treated to a silent cabin all through the drive. What better setting to have a family game or just chat with one another along the way?

Having set off before the sun showed up to start a new day, we took to the roads when the roads still begged street lamps. The LED headlamps offered quite the incentive for us to power ahead into the dawn.

Setting off into what turned out to be a monsoon drive, peppered with patches of generous hues of green, made us feel good that the car adhered to the strict BS6 standards and helped cut down on emissions even with a diesel engine silently humming under the hood. The S Class can ace a 0-100 kmph climb in under six seconds, but with my parents on board, I did my best to behave.