Ah, where do we start? A story that talks about the missing links in the Indian automotive sphere can and should start from the top. When it comes to the automotive eco-system, to me, Ferrari is the shark. And those magicians from Maranello have no presence in India yet. Some say that fuel quality is to blame, while others think that Indian roads don’t deserve a Ferrari yet. But the real fact is that with about 6,250 cars sold last year, Ferrari is full-up — the supercar firm (which incidentally does not advertise its products except by participating in F1 racing) cannot build more cars from their home base without sacrificing their exclusive image which is oh-so-critical for the premium money they charge. But in a market where Lamborghini and Porsche are doing reasonable numbers (the latter especially, thanks to capable SUVs), Ferrari should not be far behind, right?
Under the same Fiat umbrella (and definitely more accessible) yet with the twist of mystique that only the Italians can pull off is Alfa Romeo. The Milanese sportscar/sports sedan maker of repute makes some of the most achingly beautiful cars in the world today. But when compared to the rear-wheel driven competition from Germany like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Alfa fails to impress. If launched in India, the Alfa Romeo 159 sedan for example, can straddle a price range of Rs 25 lakh to 35 lakh and can give prospective owners a chance to own something hot, red and Italian. So what if it’s not a Ferrari? One Mr Enzo worked for the Alfa Romeo racing team some time ago, after all!
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