LATEST CARS IN 2013....

Chevrolet Enjoy

Price starts at Rs. 5,57,403

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EMI: Rs.10,321/- onwards
For a loan of Rs.4,73,793 @ 11.5% over 60 months

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Honda Amaze

Price starts at Rs. 5,16,766

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EMI: Rs.9,569/- onwards
For a loan of Rs.4,39,251 @ 11.5% over 60 months

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Mahindra e2o

Price starts at Rs. 6,86,637

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EMI: Rs.12,714/- onwards
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BMW X1

Price starts at Rs. 28,55,916

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EMI: Rs.52,881/- onwards
For a loan of Rs.24,27,529 @ 11.5% over 60 months

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Chevrolet Sail

Price starts at Rs. 5,07,020

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EMI: Rs.9,388/- onwards
For a loan of Rs.4,30,967 @ 11.5% over 60 months

 22 reviews | Write a review

Spotted: Sonam and Varun together....

The film, which stars Rani Mukerji, Randeep Hooda, Nawazuddin Siddiqui along with special appearances by Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, is directed by Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Karan Johar and comprises of four stories.

Tinsel town celebs including Sonam Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Varun Dhawan, Javeed Akhtar were also present at the event.

Road Test and Review: Volkswagen Polo GT 1.2 TSI..........

This one’s for the enthusiasts. If you wonder how on earth a 1.2 litre engine is going to impress an enthusiast, digest this: the new Polo GT is powered by a turbo-charged direct injection TSI petrol engine that develops a mighty 105PS and 174 Nm of torque, offering better performance than the discontinued 1.6 litre Polo. Those who cribbed about the Polo 1.2 being underpowered and the 1.6 being defunct would both find solace in the new Polo TSI.

Design

We love the Polo for its classic, sober design and there are not many changes that make the new Polo different from its predecessor. However, on the exterior, the new Polo TSI gets headlamps with black finish, GT badging on the front grille, new alloy wheels and GT TSI badging on the boot lid as well as the C pillar.

The interior gets a more serious makeover that reflects the car’s sportiness. Seats get a new black and grey fabric combination and are supportive, too. The steering wheel, gearshift knob and the handbrake lever are leather-wrapped and foot pedals get aluminum finish.

The new Polo TSI also gets climate control and 2 Din music system inherited from the Vento. Overall interior plastic quality is impressive.

Polo’s cramped rear legroom has been a known issue and Volkswagen has slightly addressed it by chiseling up the front seats, however, that doesn’t mean you get ample legroom in the new Polo.

Performance

Alright, let’s cut to the chase, the new Polo is all about absolute performance and you already know that from the figures.  174 Nm of torque is a remarkable output for a car of this size; even sweeter is the fact that the peak torque is available from as low as 1500 rpm and all the way to 4100 rpm.  Since the superior performance is achieved with the help of a turbocharger, there’s an inevitable lag but the clever ratios of the DSG gearbox mask it well.

Speaking of the 7 speed DSG automatic gearbox, it deserves special mention for milking the best out of the TSI while maximizing fuel efficiency. Volkswagen claims an ARAI certified mileage of 17.2 kmpl, but during the performance test the figure was hovering around 12-14 kmpl. Well, I wouldn’t say that’s too bad for a performance car.

The Polo TSI can sprint from 1-100 kmph in 9.7 seconds and onto a top speed of 190 kmph -- certainly faster than the 1.6 Polo. The DSG box offers three driving modes – ‘D’, ‘S’ and manual. In the ‘D’ mode, the DSG upshifts earlier and ensures better fuel efficiency while the Sport mode holds on to the gear till the rev limit before shifting. Manual shifting is lever-actuated and I missed paddle shifters big time when looking for some engine braking and a quick burst of power thereafter. Also, that’s when I wondered if the DSG was slightly confused.

The suspension is strong enough to complement the performance; it handles tightly around corners but doesn’t shake your teeth out on a rough patch.

In short, the new Polo GT TSI packs a fair punch and has enough substance to blow your mind. My sole disappointment is that it comes only with the top trim level, which makes it a very expensive option.

In a diesel-crazy nation, there still exist many petrol-loyalists who seek pure performance and this one’s for them.

The new Volkswagen Polo GT 1.2 TSI is available in only one trim level and is priced at Rs 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)

How educated are Tata, Birla, Ambani?.

Academic qualifications of India's top business leaders

If you thought all of India’s business leaders were born with a silver spoon in their mouth, you are wrong. Even those who were heirs to established business empire, made it a point to equip themselves academically to tackle the challenges posed by the winds of change and uncertain future.

Kumar Mangalam Birla is the Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group. A chartered accountant by qualification, he also has an MBA from the London Business School. 

Ratan Tata completed his B.S. in architecture with structural engineering from Cornell University in 1962, and the Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School in 1975.

Less famous star kids.......

In B-Town, acting is something that runs in the blood. Almost all star kids are bitten by the 'acting bug' - Ranbir, Sonakshi, Sonam...but there are lesser known ones too. Take a lookShe's known to live a fairly low key life with her brother and mother, but Ira Khan seems to be coming into her own. Will she be in movies we wonder?

Aamir's son Junaid was also spotted at his father's celebrations and looked every bit the gentleman as he helped his grandma along.

MS Dhoni With His Sister's Cute ♥ Daughter ♥ .....

Michael Hussey is an inspiration: Fleming.....

Chennai coach Stephen Fleming was all praise for Michael Hussey, who came up with a brilliant knock against Kolkata, saying that the way he has batted so far in the tournament has been "dynamic". 

Hussey smashed a 59-ball 95 to power Chennai to a commanding 200/3 and also effected an important run-out during the chase when BIsla was batting confidently on 92. 

"It was great innings, isn't it? He has been consistent though there was some criticism in the manner in which he scored runs. The way he has played against different teams has been quite dynamic. I cannot speak more highly of Hussey on the influence he has and the way he conducts himself," Fleming said. 

"His name is Mr Cricket; what he means to the side is phenomenal and he is halfway to our batting unit. He leads by example, not only runs that he scores but the way he trains and conducts himself," he added. 

Fleming said Hussey's presence lifts the performance of the other players, who look up to him as an inspiration. 

"By his performance, Hussey lifted Saha, who played well today. Vijay had played well in the past and Raina had played well with Hussey, and Dhoni, when he gets a chance, plays well with Hussey. He is an inspiration. He has got instincts to read the game situation. If you feel he was struggling for about 60 runs, it was because of the desire to convert good starts to a winning score. He should have got a hundred." 

Asked if Chennai were under pressure during the chase, Fleming said: "We were under pressure, we got some catches in the second 20 overs but we fumbled under pressure. But you must admire the two teams playing such close games. It is quality cricket. Somehow we came on top at the end." 

On the dropped catches and a missed stumping chance, Fleming said: "In cricket, it always happens. Suresh Raina (who put down a catch) is one of the best fielders. Ashwin is not the most mobile. As I said we were under pressure. On the whole, it was a wonderful game." 

Speaking about the bowling performance, Fleming said they were found wanting for most part of the innings before Chris Morris bowled an outstanding last over, giving away just 4 runs when Kolkata required 19 to win. 

We probably did not respond well with the ball but the last over in particular was outstanding. We are still working for progress and it is nice to see some good bowling in the death overs." 

While mentioning that there was room for improvement in the bowling department, Fleming said he was impressed with the way the seamers bowled. 

"The Seamers, in a high-scoring match, were a lot more smarter and that from a coaching point of view is pleasing. I am sure the captain would like to see quickly some improvements. I know he would. It was a tough start today as we gave 20 runs in the first over," he said. 

Asked if his side's bowlers were complacent while defending a big score, Fleming said, "Impressions can be different. Sometimes one gets such impressions but on the flip side, the team chasing on a big ground have a lot of opportunities. We were not complacent." 

Asked how his side came out unscathed on most occasions when they were in trouble, he said, "It might sound strange to say that we are a good battling side. But, we really fight for our win. We have some gifted and wonderful players in our ranks. We find our ways to be aggressive. Our attitude is good and we do at times manage to win." 

Every match is a knockout match for us: Dinda........

Pune suffered their seventh loss when they were beaten by Delhi by 15 runs to slump to the bottom of the table. Ashok Dinda, who came up with an impressive bowling performance in the match, said his team played good cricket but luck did not quite favour them. 

Chasing a target of 165, Pune ended up being restricted to 149. Dinda, who finished with figures of 3/31, said they had done a reasonably good job in restricting Delhi to a total below 170 and pointed out Aaron Finch's dismissal on 37 as the key moment of the match. 

"We played good cricket, but at the last moment luck was not on our side. We got a good start thanks to my bowling. But in the death overs, David Warner took the attack to our bowlers. Still, we managed to hold them back to 164, which was a good effort." 

"The turning point was Aaron Finch's dismissal. Under that situation, the umpire adjudged him out (caught behind) when he was going well. But cricket is a funny game, especially T20, where even a single over can change the game. So, we've learnt that until it's over, don't raise your hopes," Dinda added. 

With their backs to the wall, Pune have to win their remaining seven matches to stand a chance of making it to the play-offs. Dinda said it is not an impossible feat and Pune will be trying their best. 

"Now seven matches are remaining and we will have to win them all. Let's see. Nothing is impossible and we will try our best," Dinda said. 

Dinda said Pune will have to now approach the Indian T20 League as a 7-game tournament and consider each game as a knock-out match. 

"We don't have to think that it's a 16-game tournament. Starting now, we have to take it as a seven-match tournament, where each and every match is a knockout match. And if we lose even one game, we are out of the reckoning. Basically, play each and every match like it is the final." 

Pune's next match will be a home game against the table-toppers Chennai, against whom they had emerged victorious on the previous occasion. While mentioning that Pune will be hoping for a similar result, Dinda said he wanted to target MS Dhoni, who according to him is a key member of the Chennai side. 

"I will be focusing on Dhoni Bhai. He is batting really well these days. I need to work out where to bowl to him. I have to plan out differently for him, since he knows how I had bowled at him in the last match when I got him out and sealed a win for us," Dinda said. 

We have to be at the top of our game: Lehmann.......

Punjab will be taking on an upbeat Mumbai side at the Wankhede stadium and the hosts will be rearing to go after their thumping 58-run win against Bangalore a couple of days back. Punjab coach Darren Lehmann said his team will have to be at the top of their game if they are to defeat a "quality" Mumbai side. 

"Mumbai are a quality side and they have played really well in the tournament so far. We have to be at the top of our game to beat them and we have to have some good man-of-the-match performances." 

While mentioning that Mumbai will be a dangerous team at home, Lehmann said the wicket at the Wankhede will assist his team's bowlers, who according to him are the side's main strength. 

"We saw the Mumbai-Bangalore game and felt it was a good T20 wicket. Obviously it has a lot of bounce and carry in it. Mumbai are a dangerous side to play at home and we will have to bowl well against them. Our strength is our bowling, so I expect us to bowl well." 

Punjab's batting has been a cause for worry but the coach says he is impressed with the batters in the side, especially after their performance against Kolkata in their previous match when they put up a total of 149. 

"Our batting has been a bit of a worry. But I have been impressed with the batting in the last few games. We played well against Kolkata in the previous game and got to 149 which we felt was defendable on that surface." 

Adam Gilchrist has had a string of failures and when asked if the former Australian wicket-keeper would opt to sit out like Ponting has done for Mumbai, Lehmann said: "Look, Gilchrist would like to get some runs under his belt, just like we all would like to. Gilly knows he has to make some runs, be it this game or the next game or the game after. Gilly has to come good soon. When a player is not scoring well, he is under scrutiny and it will be no different in Gilly's case. We will sit down and see if he is a part of our selection plans." 

Lehmann said he was impressed with the domestic talent in his side with the likes of Mandeep Singh and Manan Vohra standing up to the occasion. 

"I am impressed with the domestic talent. We have to harness our talent and it is our motive to make the local talent play to their best as much as they can. We have seen a lot of young players in the side who have done well for us. For example; Manan Vohra has been impressive in the opportunities he has got and we are exposing him to the big stage. 

While he praised the young Indian players, Lehmann felt the overseas players need to contribute more. 

"I feel the overseas players need to make more contributions to make the job of the domestic players easier. This will be a good batting track and we expect our batsmen to play with a lot of freedom." 

Bangladeshis dedicate test win to factory victims.......

Bangladesh's cricket captain Mushfiqur Rahim on Monday dedicated his team's victory over Zimbabwe in a Test match to several hundred of their compatriots who lost their lives when a factory collapsed last week. 

The match got underway on Thursday -- a day after a garment factory collapsed with around 3,000 textile workers inside - with Bangladesh's cricketers wearing black armbands to show solidarity with those affected by the tragedy. 

Although thousands of people either escaped unscathed or have been pulled from the rubble alive, almost 400 deaths have been confirmed with many more bodies thought to be trapped under the fallen concrete. 

Bangladesh picked up the six wickets required for victory on the final day of the second Test to win by 143 runs and earn a share of the two-match series, and Mushfiqur confirmed that the team's thoughts had been with their compatriots. 

"It's a very sad moment for us back home, so we really dedicate this win to those people who died in the tragedy," he told reporters. 

"We've been thinking about it during the match, and we discussed it when we got back to the hotel after day one. 

"We've been trying to keep in touch with everyone back home because it really is a disaster. Hopefully the families of those who died this tragic death will be fine." 

Fall of Dravid's wicket made me more determined: Sanju Samson......

After his eye-catching performance in the T20-League here on Monday, 18-year-old Sanju Samson said the fall of Rahul Dravid's wicket did not affect his batting, but made him "more determined" to play a part in helping Rajasthan get over the line against Bangalore. 

"I was not nervous when Dravid fell but was more determined to carry on with my plans. We had a strong batting line-up for this match so the confidence was there," Samson said. 

The youngster from Kerala, who is a A B de Villiers fan, smashed 63 off 41 balls to lay the foundation for Rajasthan's four-wicket win in a thrilling finish. He bagged the Man-of-the-Match award for his fine effort. 

Samson said he had been told beforehand that he would be playing up in the batting order. 

"Yes I was told that I would be playing up in the order with a certain role. I had planned accordingly and could execute them because it was my day," he said after becoming the youngest player to score a half-century in T20-League. 

Asked about the fancy shots he's played, especially over the extra-cover region, Samson said, "I am used to playing such shots. I had to play them in accordance with the need of the hour and the field placement. 

"I normally play a lot of shots in that region and more so the area was vacant, so I tried to hit the ball there." 

Asked if he would like to be included in the team purely as a batsman, he said, "No I would like to be a wicketkeeper-batsman but it also depends upon the team management - what they want from me." 

Clarifying the confusion over his name, he said, "I had changed my name to Sanju Viswanath (from Samson) but there is nothing like superstition behind it." 

He denied that being the youngest player in the team he was treated like a child. 

"No there is no childlike treatment with me. I feel lucky to be with so many experienced players. I try to learn as much as I can from their experience," he said. 

Mumbai seek third win on the trot.......

Buoyant after a morale-lifting win over hotshots Bangalore, Mumbai will be hoping to register their third win on the trot when they take on Punjab at the Wankhede stadium. Meanwhile, the inconsistent Punjab side will be hoping to get their campaign back on track after suffering their fourth loss of the tournament when they were outclassed by Kolkata in their previous game. 

Mumbai: 

With 10 points in their kitty at the halfway stage, Mumbai are placed fourth following their third consecutive victory at home, which they have turned into an impregnable fortress. Under Rohit Sharma, who has taken over the captaincy from Ricky Ponting, Mumbai have been pretty impressive and will look continue in the same vein. 

In-form player: Things seem to be falling into place for Mumbai with talented West Indian Dwayne Smith making his presence felt at the top of the order. Smith has scored two fifties in the four games he has played so far and also delivered with the ball by taking two wickets in the game against Bangalore. 

Hit: After his surprise exclusion from the previous matches, Dhawal Kulkarni finally got an opportunity against Bangalore and he made it count with a three wicket burst that paved way for Mumbai's big win. While Mitchell Johnson and Lasith Malinga have been doing a fine job with the ball, Smith and Harbhajan Singh also came to the party in the previous match, which makes the Mumbai's bowling line-up appear all the more formidable. 

Miss: While Sachin Tendulkar got off to a start against Bangalore, he once again could not convert it to a bigger contribution, which is something Mumbai will be slightly concerned about. 

Punjab: 

After ending up on the losing side at the Eden Gardens, Punjab, who have won four and lost four, will be eager to make a comeback and get their points tally to double figures. 

In-form player: The inclusion of Mandeep Singh has been a big boost for the Punjab side as the right-handed opener has been giving good starts. With an ability to clear the ropes with nonchalance, Mandeep has scored 219 runs in eight matches, and has been the highest run-getter for this season for Punjab, who will be hoping that the 21-year-old continues piling on the runs. 

Hit: David Miller has done a good job for Punjab with the bat, and along with Mandeep Singh, has been responsible for Punjab registering back to back wins before they lost to Kolkata. He remains a crucial player in the middle order. 

Miss:The visitors have an under-performing retired Australian great at the helm just like Mumbai, but unlike the hosts, who have preferred to leave out Ponting, they have not yet taken the big decision. The wicket-keeper batsman is yet to provide the flying start which he was known for in his heydays and a tally of 94 runs in eight games has hurt his side's chances. 

CB pick: While Mumbai start as favourites, Punjab are known to spring a few surprises and will be eager to bring down a big side such as the Ambani owned team.