Ferrari, Maserati to scorch local roads

Ferraris are to be launched in India. Among the models that could hit Indian roads are the 430 Modena and the Ferrari Scaglietti.

Ferrari cars will be imported by the Mumbai-based National Garage and will be priced at around Rs 2 crore. That's not all. Ferrari will bring with it Maserati (owned by Ferrari) cars. Maserati may make its debut with the Spyder which competes with other cars like the Audi S4, the Jaguar XK-Series, and the Porsche Boxster.

Like other foreign car makers that have presence in India only through the import route, Ferrari too has been very careful to line up only its latest models for discerning customers in the subcontinent. Both the Ferrari 430 Modena and the Scaglietti are 2005 models, a step above Sachin Tendulkar's dated 360 Modena.

According to industry sources, another Italian treat will be coming India's way later next year "" Lamborghini cars. The cars will be distributed and serviced by a Delhi-based importer.

The government's decision to allow imported cars priced above $ 40,000 to skip the tedious homologation process seems to have encouraged a cavalcade of foreign cars into India.

Daimler Chrysler's Maybach, Bentley's Arnage and Continental GT coupe, Audi's A8 4.2, A6 3 and TT Coupe 1.8T and Porsche Cayenne, Boxster and 911 are some of the other super luxury cars to have hit the Indian roads in the last 18 months.