Suspension that has fully acclimatised to Indian roads and handles potholes and bumps with ease, plush interiors that feel premium beyond just surface level, and aggressive and imposing design cues give this SUV a presence and profile that has little competition, says Pavan Lall.
Audi's strategy seems to point to pushing technology to directly connect with consumers using digital platforms and marketing to synchromesh into one seamless experience, says Pavan Lall.
It's a zippy, well-engineered ride that offers comfort, quality, low cost of ownership and fuel efficiency at affordable prices, says Pavan Lall.
Property registrations in Mumbai hit the 100,000-mark till November, marking a 10-year high as "demand enablers" like low prices and cheaper interest rates lure people to buy homes in India's financial capital. The previous 10-year high was 80,746 units in 2018. November 2021 recorded property sale registrations of 7,582 units: an 18 per-cent decline compared to same month last year (YoY) when stamp duty rate was at its lowest level of two per cent, said property consultant Knight Frank India, quoting data from the Maharashtra government's Department of Registrations and Stamps. Compared to October or a month-on-month (MoM) basis, registrations are lower by 12 per cent.
'We were taking the Starbucks experience from the store to the home.'
Through a combination of local manufacture and imported CBU models, the company makes and sells four SUVs, one hatchback, and one sedan.
And it feels entirely different when compared to all its earlier avatars, observes Pavan Lall.
'Approach people with respect, mindful that they know their job better than you do, and that you're not superior to them just because you may be better educated or their boss.' Skoda Auto VW India MD Gurpratap S Boparai cites his management credo to Pavan Lall.
It takes a while to get used to the constant and instant supply of power that is the case with EVs, and handling the S1 Pro when it takes a corner or makes a turn can be tricky, says Pavan Lall.
While the Q5 is a light driving car that feels like you can easily fling it over and around brooks and brushes and hills and plains, it's also versatile in that its rear seat is as comfy and spacious as you'd expect, says Pavan Lall.
'The global semiconductor shortage has inadvertently provided an immense fillip to the pre-owned car market'
Every M&M car shares a certain DNA which is rugged, with an off-roading quality and built for hard wear and tear. The XUV is all those, but also has a smoother edge for those who want city comfort now offered in competitor vehicles such as the MG Hector, Hyundai Creta, Volkswagen Tiguan and Tata's Harrier, says Pavan Lall.
For the longest time the Polo GT had no real competition in terms of its build quality and product positioning. Until now, says Pavan Lall.
With cars like the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic selling in very small numbers and potentially even being phased out, the Octavia has very little competition, says Pavan Lall.
This SUV will look as cool in 2030 as it might have in 2010 and ultimately that's what drives the core appeal of Mercedes-Benz and its products -- being classic, says Pavan Lall.
Volkswagen's new SUV is set to lock horns with half a dozen rivals, says Pavan Lall.
'That secularism in India is at risk is alarming for someone like me. I'm born secular,' Anjolie Ela Menon, the well-known painter, tells Pavan Lall.
The real estate sector might have been caught off guard by the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, but large listed developers like Godrej Properties and Prestige Estates Projects soldier on undeterred. They aim to have sales bookings of Rs 10,000 crore in the next few years.
The MG Motor India management is focused on scaling up and launching smaller cars to play the long game in the country, says Pavan Lall.