Ratan Tata and his Cars.......

The world knows Ratan Tata as the chairman of the Tata Group, India’s largest business conglomerate. Quiet and unassuming, Tata is a very private person and there aren’t many people who know that his life away from the office has a different dimension.

It’s a life that makes you understand why he is so emotionally involved with Tata Motors and why he single-handedly achieved the impossible with the Indica and the Nano. It’s also a life car enthusiasts would die for. Quite simply, Ratan Tata is crazy about cars. He can’t help it. Born a Parsi, the passion is deeply embedded in his DNA. Over the years Ratan has acquired quite a collection of cars and the pristine manner in which he maintains them explains why the term ‘Parsi owned’ fetches a premium. True to his clan, he is particularly possessive about his cars —
no one other than himself can drive them — and his gleaming collection, tucked away in a basement, is pampered to look nothing less than showroom-fresh.

Each car has its own bespoke cover made of a special material that doesn’t scratch and keeps moisture out. Trickle chargers keep the batteries topped up (as there is no time to drive during the week) and just in case Ratan misjudges how close the garage wall is when he slots nose first into the parking bay, there are wooden chocks in front of the front wheels to stop him short. Such is his attention to detail!

Tata spends most Sunday mornings behind the wheel of each of his cars, taking them out one after the other, for a short spin around South Mumbai. His latest pride and joy is a Ferrari California, probably the first in the country. Always happy to oblige a fellow enthusiast, it didn’t take much to convince Ratan to take me for a ride in it. The California looks absolutely stunning in ‘Rosso’ red (the colour all Ferraris should be) and beige leather interiors.

I can now see what keeps the 71-year- old Ratan Tata going in what must be a pressure-cooker environment at the top of his Rs 3,65,000 crore empire. There’s nothing like the gorgeous lines of a Ferrari and the sound of a quad-cam V8 to wash away the worries of Corus or Jaguar Land Rover. What a great way to unwind!

Ratan Tata on his cars

Ferrari California: “It’s the most exhilarating car I have. The sound is fantastic and it turns heads.”     Maserati Quattroporte: “It’s softer than the Ferrari and is also terrific to drive.”      Cadillac XLR: “This roadster is one of my favourites. The acceleration is impressive and the suspension is quite stiff by American standards.”     Chrysler Sebring: “I just love the colour of this car. In fact, the Indica we first showcased in Geneva in 1998 was painted the same colour.”     Land Rover Freelander: “It drives quite well and I love the red upholstery.”     Mercedes 500 SL: “When I got it, it was terrific but it’s now just another car.”      Mercedes S-class: “It’s for normal use and after the sports cars it feels like butter and goes like a glider!”      Indigo Marina: “I’ve removed the backseat and put a mattress to take my dogs in it.”

Abhishek Pasricha.