Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar got his much talked about Ferrari 360 Modena, on which the Union finance ministry exempted him from paying 120 per cent import duty, today.

Tendulkar, who went for a drive after he received the car transported by an Air France flight from Paris, refused to comment on his new vehicle.

The finance ministry exempted Tendulkar from paying around Rs 1.13 crore [approximately US $245,000] towards the import duty of the red Ferrari, valued at Rs 75 lakh [approximately US $162,600], earlier this week.

The car was gifted to him by FIAT, the Italian automobile group that also produces Ferrari cars and which is endorsed by Tendulkar, after the Mumbai batsman equalled the late Don Bradman's tally of 29 Test centuries.

Ferrari's Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher presented the car on behalf of the company to Tendulkar when the two met last year at Silverstone, England.

The Ferrari was draped in controversy after it was reported that the batting maestro had requested a custom duty waiver on the car despite getting it as a gift and not winning it as a prize in any tournament.