In an extraordinary feat of endurance, Autocar India, in collaboration with Škoda India, has successfully wrapped up the Pune-to-Prague (P2P) road trip in the Kylaq compact SUV. The monumental 70-day expedition stands as one of the longest overland journeys ever achieved by a passenger vehicle manufactured entirely in India.
The P2P expedition officially kicked off at the Škoda Auto Volkswagen India manufacturing plant in Pune and concluded at the carmaker’s home base in Prague, Czech Republic, traversing two continents and 13 countries.
Conquering Extreme Climates and Geography
Over the course of its 19,351 km journey, the Kylaq was subjected to a wide variety of punishing terrains and severe environmental changes. Leaving India via Nepal, the compact SUV traveled across the Tibetan Plateau in China, navigated the historic Silk Road through Central Asia, and cut across Eastern Europe to reach its final destination.
Total Distance 19,351 kilometers
Duration 70 days
Countries Crossed 13 (including India, Nepal, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Türkiye, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Czech Republic)
Elevation Range From -154 meters up to a grueling 5,364 meters above sea level
Temperature Shifts Extreme swings ranging from -12°C to 43°C
Despite dealing with high-altitude mountain passes, extreme temperature variations, and rough terrain, the Kylaq completed the transcontinental route seamlessly—finishing without a single mechanical issue, scratch, or flat tire.
Expedition Highlights
The transcontinental route offered the driving team a lifetime of unique cultural and geographic milestones, including:
- Driving past the historic 17th-century Potala Palace in Tibet.
- Cruising down the dead-straight, vast highway networks of Kazakhstan.
- Crossing the Bosphorus Bridge in Türkiye, transitioning directly from Asia into Europe.
- Catching a sunrise fleet of hot air balloons in Cappadocia and visiting Dracula’s famous Bran Castle in Transylvania.
- Crossing paths with a classic car rally in Bratislava, Slovakia.
A Milestone for Indian Engineering
The success of the drive underscores the build quality of India’s manufacturing ecosystem. Commenting on the landmark achievement, Ashish Gupta, Brand Director of Škoda India, noted that the grueling Pune-to-Prague route served as a “powerful demonstration of what Indian engineering and manufacturing can achieve on the global stage.”
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