The prelude to things to come took place the night before, with a dinner fit for royalty at Jaipur’s Rambagh Palace. The palace was lit up, offering a magnificent backdrop for 26 Ferraris neatly parked in formation, their sculpted lines highlighted under the floodlights. It was a sight that even jaded, ultra-rich hotel guests couldn’t ignore – phones out, faces lit with the expression only Ferraris can evoke.
The line-up was spectacular – 296s, 488s, Romas, a few F8s, SF90s, an 812, a 12Cilindri and a lone Purosangue – representing Maranello’s evolution from naturally aspirated V12s to turbocharged V8s and hybrids, the flavour of the supercar world today.
Conversations over a multi-course dinner with a live band carried the unmistakable buzz of shared passion. This elite group of Ferrari owners truly love their cars, which is why they’d converged in Jaipur from across India for three action-packed days behind the wheel of Maranello’s finest.
More than just a drive
Welcome to the Ferrari Rajasthan Tour, organised and curated by Ferrari Mumbai. But this wasn’t just another drive. It marked 10 years of Ferrari Mumbai and, more importantly, celebrated what makes Ferrari special. No other supercar brand stirs this kind of emotion or bonds owners quite like this one.
For the next three days, tales of top speeds, driving exploits and how cars were specced would fly thick and fast – a happy fraternity bound by passion, horsepower and a shared love for that Cavallino Rampante on the nose.
Over the next two days, the Ferrari convoy would blast from Jaipur to Udaipur – 400-odd kilometres across some of Rajasthan’s finest highways.
Not owning a Ferrari, for once, worked in my favour. It gave me the freedom to hop from one car to another – I’ve never driven so many Ferraris in such a short span. It was the stuff of dreams.
I started out riding shotgun with my good friend J Anand in his 488 GTB, which, despite being eight years old, felt as tight as ever and never short of power. The 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 sounds epic, and the ride on bumpy concrete was firm but never harsh. Getting lost soon after leaving Jaipur turned out to be the best thing that could’ve happened – it gave us an excuse to drive flat out to catch the convoy.
That also gave me the chance to jump into Navnit Motors’ 296 GTS, which was equally lost and in need of a quick driver. I was happy to oblige.
Ferrari 296 – The hybrid hero
From the get-go, it’s astonishing how usable the 296 GTS is. The 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, paired with an electric motor, delivers all 830hp in one clean, seamless and staggering rush. It may be a V6, but it hasn’t lost an ounce of drama – the engine is loud, eager and spins to its 8,500rpm redline with spine-tingling ferocity. Throttle response is instant, and the dual-clutch gearbox snaps through ratios with the crisp precision that only a Ferrari manages.
The Jaipur–Udaipur highway is a joy for the most part – wide, open stretches where you can really let the car breathe. But it also keeps you on your toes, with the occasional rough patch, crater and, of course, the ultimate test of reflexes – cows. They sit regally on the median like they own the place, then casually wander into the fast lane. In India, dodging livestock is as much a part of driving fast as nailing an apex.
The 296 took it all in stride. The ride is surprisingly supple for a hardcore, mid-engine sportscar, and the damping sophisticated enough to handle uneven tarmac. You sit low, cocooned in firm, sculpted seats, with steering that’s laser-sharp and alive in your hands. It’s so quick off centre, it takes a few minutes for you to adjust, but once you do, it’s magic – letting you thread through gaps and carve around lumbering trucks with surgical precision.
But make no mistake, the 296 is no tourer. It keeps your senses on high alert and demands full attention. Between the engine note and road noise, conversation with your passenger is near impossible – who, more often than not, sits in white-knuckled silence.
Peeling off the highway towards Sangam Farms – an idyllic lunch stop surrounded by cultivated fields – introduced the 296 to its true nemesis: speed breakers. The universal enemy of every supercar.
I crabbed over them at an angle, inch by inch, but the underbody still scraped twice with a sickening crunch. It was a reminder that a nose-lift function here isn’t a luxury; it’s survival. Ironically, the 296 had one – I just couldn’t find the control in time to use it.
Different Ferrari flavours
Post lunch, I swapped into the Roma, Ferrari’s front-engined GT. If the 296 is razor-edged and reactive, the Roma is its opposite – smooth, supple and quietly confident. The 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 makes a healthy 620hp, but its real talent lies in its composure.
The steering remains quick, but the damping is softer, the longer-travel suspension more forgiving, and it rides rough patches beautifully. You can cover big distances without feeling wrung out. It’s also the most practical two-door Ferrari – usable boot space, better visibility and a beautifully crafted cabin. Many purists dismiss it for being too soft, but after a few hours on these roads, I found it the perfect companion.
In Udaipur, I managed a short drive in an F8 Spider belonging to Rajesh Ramanathan, who kindly gave me the wheel. It was more of a crawl through traffic than a proper drive, but even at low speeds, the car felt special. Body control was impeccable, the chassis silent over potholes, and that twin-turbo V8 soundtrack was everything you expect a Ferrari to sound `like – crisp, angry and mechanical. Ride comfort was noticeably better than Anand’s 488, showing just how far Ferrari’s mid-engine lineage evolved in a generation.
Threading through Udaipur’s narrow lanes to the City Palace isn’t exactly Ferrari territory – crumbling tarmac, curious onlookers and darting two- and three-wheelers – yet the cars managed fine. The hybrid 296s and SF90s silently glided through in pure electric mode, adding a touch of irony: Ferraris, known for their thunderous noise, now majestically whispering through royal gates.
Royal finish
Driving through the City Palace gates and into the courtyard – normally off limits to cars – was surreal. Twenty six Ferraris lined up against centuries-old stone walls, a perfect meeting of old-world royalty and modern performance. Tourists swarmed with cameras, and as we lunched, the courtyard turned into an open-air Ferrari gallery.
Before flying back, I snuck in a quick drive in Ferrari’s new 12Cilindri – the brand’s latest front-engine flagship. Its naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 revs to a dizzying 9,500rpm and produces 830hp. Throttle response is instant, power delivery utterly linear, and the performance simply devastating. There’s a smoothness and effortlessness only a V12 can offer – the kind of relentless surge that pins you back without a hint of strain. If anything, I wished for a bit more of that traditional Ferrari wail – it’s still music to an enthusiast’s ears, but the volume’s turned down a notch.
Two days, four Ferraris and one unforgettable journey through Rajasthan. The tour wasn’t about top speed or horsepower bragging rights – it was about living with these cars in the real world: on our roads, through our towns, amid dust, chaos and cows.
The 296 GTS stood out as the most complete Ferrari of the lot – blending everyday usability with mind-bending performance. The Roma was the revelation: elegant, comfortable and effortless. The F8 was pure theatre, and the 12Cilindri reminded me there’s still magic in a naturally aspirated V12.
The three days went by much like the Ferrari convoy itself – in a flash. The memories, though, will last a lifetime, as will the friendships forged along the way.
Also see:
Ferrari 296 Speciale review: Special Effects
Ferrari 12Cilindri review: the ultimate V12
Ferrari slashes EV forecast as it unveils the ‘Elettrica’s’ powertrain