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NEW DELHI: Get set for the prancing stallion. Ferrari, the famed Italian sports car maker, is all set to blaze on Indian roads, looking to tap the growing appetite of an emerged India for luxury.

Part of Fiat’s stable, Ferrari will officially zoom on the Indian roads within the next six months, hoping to challenge rivals like Porsche and Lamborghini who are already present in the market. "Ferrari will enter the Indian market in the first half of 2011. India will be the 58th market in the world where Ferrari will be present," Valeria Costa, Communications Director of the Italian brand, told TOI from the company’s headquarters at Turin in Italy.

The company will, however, not take the support of Fiat’s Indian partner, Tata Motors, for its foray, but rather come through the direct import route. "We will have an importer managing the business," Costa said. Fiat cars in India are currently retailed as well as serviced through the network of Tata Motors. Incidentally, Tata Motors chairman Ratan Tata also owns a Ferrari. Other famous Indians to own the car include Sachin Tendulkar (who was gifted a Ferrari 360 Modena by Fiat when he equaled the late Don Bradman’s tally of 29 Test centuries) and liquor baron Vijay Mallya.

Ferrari is believed to be looking at top metros like Delhi and Mumbai for its debut, though Costa did not confirm this. Industry sources said senior officials from Ferrari have visited India many times and have also had meetings with various importers of luxury brands.

The company’s models, that include California (also owned by Ratan Tata), 458 Italia, 599 and 612, will be imported to India and thus attract duties of around 110%. The model line-up will come with a hefty price tag that would run upwards of Rs 1.5 crore. Ashish Chordia, Director of Porsche India, said the entry of Ferrari will help expand the market for ultra luxury cars further. "The market has matured and is growing rapidly. New cars will help stimulate demand further. The economy is on a roll and people are open to engage in luxury buys." Porsche expects sales to go up more than two times this year. Against 94 units sold in 2009, it has already sold 269 units till October this year.