Leave it up to the Italians to make a TRAIN sexy. A new privately-held company is doing just that. The company,
Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori (NTV), will be using these cherry red trains known as Italos to carry fashion-conscious riders between Naples and Turin.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2J2K1gOVIDu1CEPYU2xWV_zrmxJbz-_Tsomt-sMBne9bz7NMq7mV0m8p8xBBdpAn4doVa5m275c7ZCTsv5R1O24LiW8197HUcKf6mZVWZVOvyPgg2A1-8943-o8dp8sALz5XsVw/s320/ntv+side.jpg)
The trains can travel up to 225 mph, or somewhere between the top speeds of a Scuderia Ferrari F1 car and a Bugatti Veyron. The trains are supposedly 15% more fuel efficient than similar high-speed trains and 98% of their materials can be recycled. They also supposedly cost 15% less to maintain. I have my doubts about that last claim.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUCMRmnbh-mkWHbVVIbB91Gp65wy2FXyRljvqk2hlGfUBRMdObv9JQI58zUBCDs_IRdO5qBvvM9KLDuhYwBaeh5sOPxo5hou8tSTnnINvZXSW99V3jnCHZ_jqlTKrFHaQivUw-w/s320/ntv+profile.jpg)
The train was designed by none other than Giorgetto Giugiaro, formerly of
Isuzu Piazza/Impulse fame. It is a stunner. Only the Italians would put a train in a photo studio and take glamour shots.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICdBQDHUjbEbxD-JK491EHzX3GnxrusHl1SpOFfCgfepTjueh7XwMhX84BhsZPyhgucr4mwA0L_TrOUWLArNB_3H0NnJXjyHkch-b0Ep7TzohK120tECERzFIovgUDQgmW9kLXw/s320/isuzu-piazza.jpg)
The venture is backed by SNCF and Fiat/Ferrari's Luca di Montezemolo. This train distraction may explain the disastrous state of the
Ferrari F1 team.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQ2z6llB82zTCv2RjLUzq3ex6oUc8os6UUflOyooz1Ts6BoYToN46rwPooz7Kc11v5HDkNCGCHeHCYOaqVzXgAYWTB0uYP_R-CQAepwkUrgEjfm2DFYxv5HJaj4HNxPALnk4zpg/s320/montezemolo+train.jpg)
CKY