Our plan was pleasingly uncomplicated, just like the people and the surroundings. And things generally are simpler when you head out of the big cities to the smaller towns. Our night halt, halfway between Jaipur and Bikaner, was one such town called Fatehpur. Our hotel, accurately and unimaginatively, was named Hotel Haveli. It was, after all, a mansion in the typical Rajasthani vein. The Rajasthan Tourism staff at the hotel swapped roles as receptionist, cook, concierge and guide, smiling and unhesitant. Their gobi parathas were lovely, breakfast was peppered with the history of local havelis and talk of good roads ahead.
So it was in a fairly upbeat mood that I stepped out of the chilly shade of the verandah and into the warmth of the sun. However, it was the sight of the red CLA 45 AMG standing outside that warmed me quicker still, inside out. The plan, our uncomplicated plan, was to soak in the warbling music of the Afflaterbach-bred 355bhp four-pot motor as we aimed the three-pointed star towards Bikaner, 173km away.
Haveli. These abodes of the rich and powerful require, no, demand, the flourish of an italicised and swoopy ‘H’ to get the message across. Even from the outside, I could appreciate the delicate and intricate frescoes in the inner courtyard. The lattice work in the verandahs outside also bore testimony to the care, craftsmanship and taste that was called upon to create these imposing residences. The decades have dulled some of the colours, but even today, the havelis of Fatehpur impose their stature upon visitors with a weighty silence. If buildings could frown, the haveli would have done so at my casual garb. However, I am certain that it accepted the CLA 45 AMG as a worthy guest. Its bright red colour, slinky swoops and powerful lines would have struck a chord with the thakurs and memsahibs that once dwelled here.
On the road out of Fatehpur, I wondered what the thakurs would have called it? “Ram Singh, sheher jaana hai, Laal Aandhi ko turant bahar laao!” And why not? The CLA 45 AMG was raising a storm as we shot towards Bikaner. I kept my eyes fastened on the road ahead, smiling to myself, picturing the sand swirling in the CLA’s wake, the rough shrub swaying, and the sheep scattering in the distance as the CLA 45 AMG boomed past. Mostly though, I was glad we hadn’t started the drive from Jaipur, as the road till Fatehpur had proved, alternatingly, to be ravaged or in a state of slow repair. However, this section of the NH11 was living up to the tag of Great Road perfectly. I know, given this car’s size, a tight-winding mountain road springs to mind as the natural stomping ground for the CLA. However, as this Mercedes is primarily a front-wheel-drive machine with a small turbocharged motor, tight corners would rob some of the fun.
