Take this sports car for a joyride on an Indian road

The Ferrari 296 GTB is a plug-in hybrid with two electric motors. It offers a smooth, luxurious ride and clears road obstacles with ease

- Renuka Kirpalani

It is hard to be objective and practical about cars like the Ferrari 296 GTB, but it's part of my job to view things with a neutral perspective. Sports cars are quite impractical, considering India's road conditions. They are low-slung, which means large speed breakers and/or potholes are an issue. They also have a taut chassis with firm suspensions to handle well, which means a hard ride. They seat mostly two persons. Still, it is hard not be completely drawn in. They light a fire in your belly and spark love in your soul. They tug at your heartstrings with their performance, open your wallet with how they look and make you feel like a superhero when you are behind the wheel.

The Ferrari 296 GTB is not only all that, but also one of the most practical sports cars I have driven. Intrigued? Well, so was I.

I set off from the Ferrari showroom at Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in search of a short stretch of empty road. Trundling through the traffic and the under-construction roads, the first thing that strikes me is the silence I move away in. There is no snorting exhaust at start-up. The 296 GTB is a plug-in hybrid with two electric motors responsible for this silent getaway. You can run up to 25km on electric power alone. Silent Ferrari? Don't jump to conclusions just yet.