The Magic India Discovery Tour: Ferrari Explores India
Following is successful expeditions through China and the Americas, proving that the legendary super car makers products
can go just about anywhere, Ferrari has announced that in 2008 it will explore India with two Ferrari 612 Scagliettis
and a team of international media.
The Magic India Discovery Tour gets underway from Mumbai on 25 February and returns to the same city on 8 May having
covered a route stretching more than 11,000 kilometres. The car featured in the tour is the 612 Scaglietti, Ferrari's
flagship GT model. Two of these gorgeous berlinettas will embark on the voyage which comes in the wake of the China
15,000 Red Miles tour completed in 2005 and the Panamerican 20,000 tour of 2006, both of which were hugely successful.
Ferrari is offering a total of 50 journalists from across the world the unique opportunity to take turns behind the
wheel of a V12-powered 612 Scaglietti in the course of the 12-stage 72-day voyage of discovery of the delights and
richness of India. The journalists will explore this fascinating country which combines modernity and tradition. India
is currently enjoying an exciting period of rapid economic growth and a boom in its advanced technologies sector yet
remains rooted in the traditions of its ancient culture. This is a nation in which innovative infrastructure exists side
by side with areas of completely unspoilt natural beauty.
Of course, Ferrari isn't new to this kind of marathon voyage. Its last such adventure was the Panamerican 20,000 tour
during which two 599 GTB Fioranos travelled from the beaches of Brazil to the East Coast of the US, taking in tropical
rain forests, arid deserts and snowy peaks as they traversed an entire continent. In 2005, we staged the spectacular
Ferrari 15,000 Red Miles tour when two standard 612 Scagliettis covered an incredible 24,000 km route through China in
what was a first for any automotive constructor anywhere in the world.
To mark its 50th Anniversary in 1997, a F355 completed a round the world tour that took in the five continents with no
less than 147 journalists from the various nations visited, taking turns behind the wheel.
The cars
The two 612 Scagliettis (one red, the other white, both sporting a specially designed livery) will feature a few
absolutely minimal modifications to allow them to negotiate the more difficult tracts of the tour.
The modifications involve the fitting of an underbody protector made from 4 mm duraluminium rather than plastic and a
slightly higher suspension setting to deal with the tougher road surfaces. Otherwise, however, they will be entirely
straightforward production cars powered by a 540 hp 65° V12 engine that delivers maximum torque of 60 kgm at 5250 rpm.
Both cars will be fitted with a six-speed F1 gearbox and transaxle transmission.
The 612 Scaglietti continues Ferrari's long tradition of excellence in the 2+2 segment. This innovative car offers the
perfect combination of thoroughbred Ferrari berlinetta performance and exceptional comfort for four occupants. The 612
Scaglietti is the very first all-aluminium 12-cylinder to be built by Ferrari. The use of aluminium for the chassis and
bodywork combined with sophisticated production and assembly technologies have cut overall body weight by a massive 40%
and greatly improved torsional rigidity. The 612 Scaglietti's near-perfect weight distribution (46% front and 54% rear)
mean that it offers the blistering performance of a rear-engined car yet the comfort and roominess of a front-engined
model. The 612 Scaglietti is also a wonderfully dynamic car to drive thanks to its CST traction and stability control
system which guarantees superb performance in complete safety. Its 65° V12 engine represents the pinnacle of Ferrari's
engine technology too and punches out 540 hp at 7250 rpm. Although clothed by Pininfarina, the 612 is named in honour of
Sergio Scaglietti, the Modenese coachbuilder who, in the early years of Enzo Ferrari's extraordinary adventure, bodied
some of the most beautiful cars ever to emerge from Maranello.
The route and main stages
The Magic India Discovery is divided into 12 stages and runs over 72 days. It starts in Mumbai at the Gateway of India,
a monument celebrating the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to the country. The two 612 Scagliettis will
immediately head south along the stunning eight-lane motorway that is the jewel in the crown of Indian's infrastructure.
The first stage ends in the city of Goa, now a popular tourist destination once ruled by the Portuguese.
The tour continues still further south to Mysore and then Trivandrum, the southernmost point of the Indian peninsula,
before turning north towards Bangalore, the capital of India's innovative technologies industry. Hyderabad and Ramosi,
home to the Bollywood film industry, provide the backdrop to a stage that ends in Vizak on the coast of the Bay of
Bengal. The 612 Scagliettis will then drive along the east coast to the city of Kolkata (Calcutta), once the
headquarters of the legendary British East India Company.
The cars' journey along the river Ganges begins from Calcutta and runs via Varanasi, a sacred city to Hindus, and
Khajuraho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its Hindu and Jain temples. From here, the tour makes its way to
Lucknow also known as the Golden City of the East. The next stage takes the Ferraris through the Corbett National Park
and Tiger Reserve named in honour of the former man-eater hunter Jim Corbett.
The tour then continues on towards New Delhi, following a northerly route to the Dharamsala, home of the exiled Dalai
Lama, and Amritsar, the centre of the Sikh religion. The next stage runs from the Indian capital to the city of Jaipur,
taking in Agra where the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the one of the seven wonders of the modern world, the Taj
Mahal, as a monument to his dead wife in 1632.
The final two legs of the tour take the cars through all of the most famous areas of Rajasthan which is home to endless
palaces built by the Maharajas and also calls to Jodhpur, the final stop-off before the cars make a triumphant return to
India's industrial capital.
The Magic India Discovery will enjoy the invaluable support of the Tata Group, Tata Motors, Tata Consultancy Services,
Taj Hotels, Shell, Fiat India Pvt Ltd., Alcoa, Pirelli, Saima Avandero and OMR.
Assistance and spare parts will be provided by eight support vehicles: five Tata cars, two Fiats and one specially
fitted-out Iveco truck.
In addition to the journalists driving the two 612 Scagliettis, photographers and video camera operators, the tour will
also be accompanied by a technical assistance and logistics team for its entire duration.
The 612 Scaglietti is Ferrari's top of the range model and in line with its elegant, exclusive image, our guests will be
wearing sophisticated colonial-style khakis and, to protect them from the blazing sun of this particularly hot season, a
contemporary take by Borsalino on the famous Pith helmet.
Event sponsors
Shell. The Shell Group has an extensive network of companies in over 140 countries across the globe. Its activities focus on
oil, chemical derivatives, renewable power sources, industrial trading and many other sectors besides. Shell also
manages more than 45,000 petrol stations, serving over 25 million customers each and every day. For further information,
visit the Shell website at www.shell.com.
Tata Group. The Tata Group is India's best-known industrial group with revenues in 2006-07 of US$ 29 billion (Rs. 129,994 crores),
the equivalent of about 3.2 per cent of the country's GDP. Known for its adherence to business ethics, it is India's
most respected private business group. The international revenues of the Group in 2006-07 were US$ 10.8 billion,
contributing to 38% of the total Group revenues. With over 300,000 employees across 96 operating companies, it is also
India's largest employer in the private sector. The Tata brand is recognised as one of the largest homegrown brands in
India and the most respected brand. The Tata Group's stable of brands also includes many national and some
internationally renowned product and service brands, including Tata Indica, Tata Indigo, Indigo Marina, Tata Ace, Tata
Magic, Tata Winger, Tata Safari, Tata Indicom, Taj Group of Hotels (Luxury, Business and Leisure), Ginger, Tata Tea,
Tetley, Tata Salt, Tata Steelium, Tata Shaktee, Tata Tiscon, Tata Bearings, Titan, Tanishq, Voltas, Westside, Star India
Bazaar, Landmark and Croma. By combining ethical values with business acumen, globalisation with national interests and,
core businesses with emerging ones, the Tata Group aims to be the largest and most respected global brand from India,
whilst fulfilling its long-standing commitment to improving the quality of life of its stakeholders.
Tata Motors. Tata Motors is India's largest automobile company, with revenues of US$ 7.2 billion in 2006-07. With over 4 million
Tata vehicles plying in India, it is the leader in commercial vehicles and the second largest in passenger vehicles. It
is also the world's fifth largest medium and heavy truck manufacturer and the second largest heavy bus manufacturer.
Tata cars, buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia,
South East Asia and South America. Tata Motors and Fiat Auto have formed an industrial joint venture in India to
manufacture passenger cars, engines and transmissions for the Indian and overseas markets; Tata Motors also has an
agreement with Fiat Auto to build a pick-up vehicle at Córdoba, Argentina. The company already distributes Fiat-branded
cars in India. Tata Motors' international footprint include Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Co. Ltd in South Korea;
Hispano Carrocera, a bus and coach manufacturer of Spain in which the company has a 21% stake; a joint venture with
Marcopolo, the Brazil-based body-builder of buses and coaches; and a joint venture with Thonburi Automotive Assembly
Plant Company of Thailand to manufacture and market pickup vehicles in Thailand. Tata Motors has research centres in
India, the UK, and in its subsidiary and associate companies in South Korea and Spain.
Taj Hotels. Established in 1903, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is one of Asia's largest and finest groups of hotels, comprising 60
hotels in 42 locations across India with an additional 18 international hotels in the Maldives, Mauritius, Malaysia,
Australia, UK, USA, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Africa and the Middle East. From world-renowned landmarks to modern business
hotels, idyllic beach resorts to authentic Rajput palaces, each Taj hotel offers an unrivalled fusion of warm Indian
hospitality, world-class service and modern luxury. The Taj, a symbol of Indian hospitality, has recently completed the
centenary of its landmark hotel, The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Mumbai. Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is part of the
Tata Group, India's premier business house
Tata Consultancy Services. Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, business solutions and outsourcing organisation that delivers real results
to global businesses, ensuring a level of certainty no other firm can match. TCS offers a consulting-led, integrated
portfolio of IT and IT-enabled services delivered through its unique Global Network Delivery Model, recognised as the
benchmark of excellence in software development.
A part of the Tata Group, India's largest industrial conglomerate, TCS has over 108,000 of the world's best trained IT
consultants in 47 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $4.3 billion for fiscal year ended 31
March, 2007 and is listed on the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange in India. For more information, visit
us at www.tcs.com.
Fiat India Pvt Ltd. Fiat India Automobiles Private Limited (FIAPL) is a 50-50 Industrial Joint Venture between Fiat Group Automobiles S. p.
A., (Fiat) and Tata Motors Limited (Tata) originally incorporated on January 02, 1997. The company employs about 650
employees and is located at Ranjangaon in the Pune District of Maharashtra. The definitive Joint Venture agreement was
signed in October 11, 2007. The board of directors of this company comprises five nominees each from Fiat and Tata.
The state-of-the-art facility at Ranjangaon, which is owned by FIAPL is capable of producing 100,000 cars and 200,000
engines, besides aggregates and components. The company plans to double the production capacity for both car units and
engines in the next few years. Currently manufacturing the Palio Stile 1.1 and 1.6 models, premium Fiat cars such as the
Grande Punto and Linea are expected to roll out soon in the B and C segment from the facility within 2008.
The facility will also manufacture Fiat's successful 1.3 litre Multijet diesel engines and 1.2 & 1.4 litre Fire gasoline engine and the C549 transmission, evolution for the Indian market of the European C510: start
of production of all powertrains is foreseen by first quarter 2008. Apart from Fiat cars, the facility will also produce
Tata passenger and next generation cars with investment exceeding € 650 million. The plant is expected to provide direct
and indirect employment to more than 4,000 people.
Fiat, which holds a 50% stake in the Company, also owns and controls five internationally renowned brands:- Fiat
Automobiles, Alfa Romeo Automobiles, Lancia Automobiles, Abarth and Fiat Professional, the makers of renowned cars such
as Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Lancia besides the Fiat branded cars.
Pirelli. In terms of turnover, Pirelli Tyre is the world's fifth largest tyre manufacturer with one of the highest levels of
profitability in the entire sector. It is widely acknowledged as one of the reference companies when it comes to
cutting-edge, high performance products. In fact Pirelli Tyre enjoys a leadership position both in car and motorbike
tyre lines. Pirelli tyres are now synonymous with quality, driving pleasure and exceptional performance. Through the
consolidation of its own technological skills, Pirelli has built up solid relationships with the world's most
prestigious car and motorbike constructors, resulting in the homologation of its products for use on models produced by
every leading car and motorbike manufacturers. Pirelli Tyre is present in 160 countries and boasts 25 facilities across
four continents as well as five Research and Development Centres in which it invests 3.7% of its revenues, the highest
percentage in the entire tyre industry.
Alcoa. Alcoa is the world's leading producer of primary aluminium, fabricated aluminium and alumina. It is active in all major
aspects of the industry. Alcoa supplies its products to the aerospace, automotive, industrial, packaging, building and
construction, and commercial transportation sectors, offering its clients access to its broad array of design, planning
and production skills. In addition to manufacturing aluminium products and components (including laminated, extruded
hard alloy and forged products), Alcoa also sells AlcoaÒ wheels, fixing systems, precision and lost wax castings, and
architectural structures and systems. Alcoa is present in 44 different nations employing workforce of 107,000. It was
recently named one of the world's most sustainable companies at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. For
further information, visit the company site at www.alcoa.com.
OMR. The OMR (Officine Meccaniche Rezzatesi) Group is one of the world's leading automotive and industrial vehicle component
and systems manufacturers with 11 production facilities in Italy, Brazil, Morocco, China, India and Argentina. Since its
foundation in 1919, the OMR Group (which employs a workforce of 2,000) have grown has grown to such an extent, combining
technology, innovation and design, that it now leads its sector. OMR and Ferrari began working together in 1978 and
together they have worked towards on shared goals, present and future, driven by a team work ethic and a constant thirst
for exciting new technologies.
Saima Avandero. Saima Avandero is Italy's leading international transportation and integrated logistics company. It is part of the ABX
LOGISTICS Group and boasts a wide international network with bases in no less than 35 countries. Saima Avandero is an
exceptionally reliable partner to business focused on meeting the needs of its clients. Its strongest point is its skill
in planning and delivering "tailor-made" services whose quality is second to none. A consummately professional approach
and a wide range of skills in logistical support, organisation and information technologies are the secrets to its
success and complement the international transportation and delivery services it offers.
With the support provided by Borsalino, the Italian company founded in 1857, world leader in the production of hats.
ENDS