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Pininfarina family to lose control of company

The Pininfarina family is set to lose its controlling share stake in the company as it takes a step closer to restructuring its €76 million net debt. The Italian design firm, founded in 1930, has been plagued with debt in recent years, shutting its manufacturing branch in 2011 to concentrate purely on design, ending a joint venture with Volvo that saw the company assemble Volvo's C70. The move is seen as a positive one for the company in the long-term, making it more financially secure for future developments, but it also means that the Pininfarina family will lose control of the company by selling its 77 percent share.

2014 Volvo XC60 upgraded by Heico Sportiv

Polestar isn't the only Volvo tuner out there, and it's about to face some stiff competition from Stuttgart's Heico Sportiv. If you're not familiar with the company, it offers performance and design upgrades for virtually every Volvo model of the last 20 years. Heico Sportiv took its offerings to the Essen Motor Show in Germany last month, an event often compared to SEMA.

BMW reveals long waiting list for new i3 electric car - just for a test drive

BMW BMW's new i3 electric car is proving so popular, punters are having to wait several months just for a test drive. This extraordinary detail was revealed last night by Ian Robertson, the company's global marketing chief (pictured above left, alongside the BMW i3 in London). Normally, test drive requests for a conventional petrol or diesel car are fulfilled on the same day when you visit a new-car showroom.