TURIN:Turin has been designated this year as the world's first design capital - a title to be awarded every two years to a city which has made design a cornerstone of its economic development. After Turin, the next design capital will be Seoul, in 2010.
The choice of Turin is not altogether surprising. After all, the north Italian city and home of Fiat automotive, has long been at the vanguard of car design.
Family companies such as Bertone and Pininfarina have been responsible for some of the world's most stylish models, but they have found survival in a fast-changing volume-driven car industry increasingly difficult.
Indeed, Bertone has had to file for court protection and family shareholders have agreed to sell the company to entrepreneur, Domenico Reviglio, who hopes to revive its fortunes.
Pininfarina has had better luck. Before Christmas, it teamed up with French financier Vincent Bolloré in a €150 million project to build the first electric car to be sold under the Pininfarina brand.
Since announcing the deal, Pininfarina shares have doubled in value in an otherwise depressed market.
The Italian family cannot understand why.
Perhaps Mr Bolloré will live up to his reputation as one of France's top corporate raiders.
