When Sachin Tendulkar bought a second-hand BMW

Mumbai: One of the richest cricketers of the world at the moment, Sachin Tendulkar today revisited the time when the not-so-well-off batsman managed to buy his favourite luxury car, albeit a second-hand one.

Known for his passion for cars, Tendulkar in 1993 bought a BMW at the age 20, four years into his international career.

"I have always been a BMW fan but the real association with it started when I was 14. One of the first BMWs that I drove and owned was in 1993. My pockets were not so deep back then so I had to opt for a second-hand BMW and it was a joy to drive that car," Tendulkar said at the launch of a new series of the iconic German car.

According to international magazine `Forbes`, the 39-year-old earned USD 18.6 million last year, and a vast majority of Tendulkar`s earnings came from sponsorship deals.

The legend currently has 16 sponsors, including global brands like Adidas, Coca-Cola, Castrol and Toshiba, and they pay a total of USD 16.5 million for his services.

"I drove that car for a few years and moved on to better BMWs like the X5 and M5," India`s run machine said. Tendulkar, one of the first few people to test drive the German luxury car maker`s new launch in London this month, said he enjoys being in the driver`s seat.

"To be honest, I prefer driving. My driver normally gets to sit at the back. There are occasions when I am travelling with my family, then I sit at the back," he said.

BDST: 1547 HRS, July 28, 2012
Edited by
Chanchal Ghosh, Newsroom Editor