New Delhi: The growing crorepati car bazaar in India is set to witness the entry of another luxury marque from Europe. Automobili Lamborghini on Wednesday announced its plans to drive into India with a range of two-seater speedsters sporting a price tag between US$ 339,981 and US$ 566,636.

The first of the Lamborghini cars — the Rs 1.7-crore Gallardo SE — will be available for commercial sale in India starting this April, Lamborghini’s India distributor Satya Bagla said. Also in the offing are two other models — the Rs 1.5 crore Gallardo and the Rs 2.5 crore Murcielago.

“These cars are produced in limited numbers with lamborghini limiting the production of Gallardo at 2,000-odd cars a year. Though the company is yet to earmark a definite number for the Indian market, we have already booked orders for two Gallardo SE models,” Bagla said. His firm, Exclusive Motors, hopes to end 2006 with a sales of around 10-12 cars.

The Lamborghini Gallardo SE production, he said, is limited to 250 units and the number of cars for the India market has been limited to two units for now. The car is powered by a 4961cc engine that can deliver a maximum power of 520hp and achieve a top speed of 315kmph.

Lamborghini Murcielago, on the other hand, has a 12-cylinder 6192cc heart that can deliver a power of 580hp and attain a top speed of over 330kmph.

While Lamborghini is the first new crorepati car to hit the Indian roads this year, it’s certainly not the last. Industry insiders pointed out that Bugatti is also planning to drive into the market with its Rs 10-12 crore wonder Veyron, while Aston Martin, Ferrari and Maserati are also close to finalising their entry plans for the market.

“India is today among the few markets across the globe witnessing a surge in demand for such super-premium cars. It’s a market that cannot be ignored any longer,” said an industry observer.