All stories by Pavan Lall
Homestays come to travellers' aid in Covid times
Rediff.com27 Sep 2020Intimate getaways offered in the form of homestays by hotels are proving to be the flavour of this extraordinary and difficult time. Not far from cities, they offer a pleasant respite from homebound lives, says Pavan Lall.
The Kia Sonet is on song
Rediff.com25 Sep 2020On the highway, it pulls along with ease and offers smooth commuter ride and drive experience, and also has little competition, says Pavan Lall.
Volkswagen T-Roc: In the presence of true power
Rediff.com16 Sep 2020Quality-wise, and on the fun-to-drive scale, the T-Roc is in a league of its own, notes Pavan Lall.
Power suit bows out as WFH hits office dress code
Rediff.com13 Sep 2020Master tailors, textile manufacturers and custom clothiers, however, say the upcoming festive season, reinvention in the form of new collections and digital outreach are salvaging the situation somewhat.
Want to be a professional drone pilot?
Rediff.com27 Aug 2020There's a need to train 40,000 pilots over the next year-and-a-half.
Will drive-in theatres replace the multiplex?
Rediff.com22 Aug 2020are in the process of building one at the Jio Center in Bandra Kurla Complex where the Maker Maxity building used to be. "This theatre will be on the top of the mall and should be able to accommodate 300 cars, and is expected to open sometime in January or February next year.
Requiem for the Pajero: An SUV like none other!
Rediff.com20 Aug 2020With Mitsubishi pulling the plug on it the days of the Pajero maybe over, but nobody who ever owned one will forget it. Some even learnt life-long lessons from it, says Pavan Lall.
New Honda City takes you back to the future!
Rediff.com5 Aug 2020When a manufacturer launches the fifth generation of a product, it is given that earlier avatars hit the mark. Ditto for the new Honda City, the latest version of which also brings in sweeping changes to the carmaker's product strategy for the Indian market, says Pavan Lall.
Why M&M will halt investment in SsangYong Motor
Rediff.com27 Jul 2020M&M will close down GenZe, an e-scooter business in California, because it is unlikely it would stand on its own feet, and is ahead of its time.
Merc GLE 400d: An SUV with cool moves
Rediff.com20 Jul 2020While this hip-hop edition is unlikely to drive Merc's market share, the SUV exemplifies what the German automaker is best known for: Innovative engineering and, in this particular case, putting a smile on the face, discovers Pavan Lall.
WFH: Vacuum cleaners, dishwashers. Check it out!
Rediff.com15 Jul 2020Sweeping, swabbing, dusting, the dishes -- and the day ends in exhaustion even before it begins. So, it is no wonder that gadgets that can help ease the pressure are in hot demand, notes Pavan Lall.
Hiranandani Group opens giant data centre in Mumbai
Rediff.com8 Jul 2020Hiranandnani's new venture is well-timed, but it will face heavy competition from both international majors and domestic peers like Adani Group.
'India can market itself better'
Rediff.com25 Jun 2020'India is still hierarchical, but not as much as Japan and people appreciate a flat working culture,' Charles Frump, managing director, Volvo Cars India, tells Pavan Lall.
With GLS, Mercedes ups the ante for its SUVs in India
Rediff.com18 Jun 2020The company now offers seven different models of SUVs in India compared to two models a decade ago and contributes around 40 percent of sales up from 30 percent a couple years ago.
How COVID is changing the game plan for booksellers, publishers
Rediff.com9 Jun 2020In the future, publishers will need to think of digital immersive marketing just like marketing a movie or show on Netflix is an immersive experience.
How IT companies are getting back to work in lockdown
Rediff.com31 May 2020'Elevator rules deem no more than two people for a unit that carries six people, and as an employee enters the office, there are three masks to be used for five hours each a day, then disposed and one for the next day as well.'
Future looks bleak for Rana Kapoor-funded firms
Rediff.com14 May 2020The collection of mostly small and medium sized businesses is a hotchpotch of ventures and include design schools, schools, villas for hire in Goa and a country club in Gurgaon.
Fine dining gets a taste of lockdown blues
Rediff.com14 May 2020Now they are reinventing their strategies to stay afloat, as they see no sign of recovery for at least six months.
Serum Institute to produce COVID-19 vaccine by yearend
Rediff.com7 May 2020'The challenge will be making sure its efficacy is high.' 'If a vaccine is only 50 to 60 per cent efficient, it's a double-edged sword.'
Lockdown? You can still buy that dream Mercedes!
Rediff.com27 Apr 2020The German luxury automaker has already seen its online traffic increase 10-fold this year. Though that has not always translated into sales, Mercedes-Benz says it is continuing to build on what it calls its "touch-free" experience to stay plugged into its consumer base. Under the used car business, more than 150 cars were sold online in January and February.