Ferrari Magic India Tour

Prancing in the Land of the Tiger

After days of waiting in anticipation, the time had finally arrived to hit the road! It promised to be a trip like no other I'd done before this because accompanying me on this adventure were none other than two wonderful specimens from the stables of the prancing horse! Two 12 cylinder beauties christened The Scaglietti. I had arrived in Mumbai for the start a day earlier for briefings etc. but my mind had been fixed on this day, the 25th of February 2008. My eyes yearned to see the cars I'd fantasised sitting in since childhood and many a poster of which had adorned the walls of my rooms back then. Although I should've been prepared for it after having heard numerous descriptions by various impassioned writers, I was taken unawares not initially by the sight but by the sound of the approaching cars! It was a growl that almost rivalled the roar of my favourite tigers in the Indian jungles. It was different from the sound of other Ferraris I'd heard drive past, a little more matured in note is the first thought that came to my mind.

The cars catching everyone's attention outside the Taj Hotel near the Gateway of India, Mumbai

The also awe-inspiring Fiat Iveco is a sure shot way of clearing the way for the following Ferraris

After a lavish dinner the previous night and all the glitter and pomp of the flag off, we finally hit the road at 1230pm. I was with my great friend and excellent TV anchor for various auto shows, Renuka Kirpalani. We were leading the convoy that consisted of 2 Tata Safaris, 2 Ferrari 612 Scagliettis, 1 Fiat Bravo, 1 Fiat Cinquecento (the first car I drove of the lot!), 2 Tata Wingers, 1 Tata pickup and the also awe-inspiring Fiat Iveco. The drive through the crowded streets of Mumbai, for the foreign drivers, it was like teaching children to swim by throwning theminto the deep end of a pool. Renuka was like any patient parent and made sure the entire family stayed together and nobody got lost - a reason we'd named her "mama" on the previous trip, The SAARC car rally, which also we'd done together. It was interesting to hear the conversations on the radio as car after car faced oncoming traffic, wild bikers zigzagging in and out of every gap they could find, the taxis going through empty spaces none thought wide enough for a scooter, the buses ploughing on ignorant of the presence of even a Ferrari. Welcome to India!

Once out of Mumbai, the expressway to Pune was a welcome relief. I still get goose bumps remembering the sound of the Scagliettis in the tunnels as we climbed the hills to Lonavala! As an added surprise, we were joined by the spanking red Ferrari of the Poonavalas. You could also get to see the true potential of these beauties as he didn't have to stick to any convoy and moved back and forth, giving everyone a treat to feast all their senses on. I guess you can do that when you don't have to ensure the cars take on all the challenges of all kinds of surfaces and conditions over the next 74 days on the road till the 8th of May, when the trip finally returns to Mumbai once again, this time for the chequered flag. You can read the term "all kinds of surfaces and conditions" as potholes, mud, slush, gravel, dirt, water, mountainous speed-breakers, wandering cattle and many other things one never usually associates with a Ferrari! The run to our first halt was interspersed with a halt at the Tata's beautiful Lake House and a visit to their extremely impressive manufacturing plant. Everyone was relieved to finally be pampered by the hospitality at the hotel Blue Diamond, a part of the The Taj Group of Hotels' chain.

Sporting company on the expressway as the Poonavalas show their support to the tour