The world’s most expensive and fastest production car has gone on sale in India, with luxury manufacturer Bugatti making its debut in the land of rickshaws.

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, which has a top speed of 407 kilometres (250 miles) an hour, went on display in a car dealership in the capital New Delhi on Thursday priced at 160 million rupees (3.6 million dollars).

“India is the hub of luxury, the country of the erstwhile Maharajas, who were the true patrons of bespoke luxury,” Bugatti executive Julius Kruta said in a statement, referring to India’s former hereditary rulers.

“We have in the past received a heartening response from our valued customers and I think the launch of the Bugatti in India will truly delight our discerning audience.”

A host of Western luxury car and motorbike manufacturers are targeting the Indian market where the fast-developing economy is minting new multi-millionaires every year.

Shortcomings in public infrastructure are a major constraint on growth, however, and the nation’s road network often features poorly maintained single-lane routes outside highly congested urban areas.

One of the country’s best-known fast-car enthusiasts, superstar cricket batsman Sachin Tendulkar, beats the traffic by taking his Ferrari out in the early hours of the morning in his home town of Mumbai.

Motorbike maker Harley-Davidson is the most recent brand to bet on India’s elite and has invested in a glitzy showroom in New Delhi, which opened in July.

India has a record 69 billionaires, with 17 new members added to the exclusive club this year, according to business magazine Forbes.

Source: AFPrelaxnews