Eurostar appoints Italian consultancy to refresh trains

Pininfarina will work on designing new interiors as well as refreshing the exterior livery for Eurostar, with the first new-look trains due in service in 2012.

The train interiors were last refurbished between 2004 and 2005 but this project is planned to be a major redesign marking the half-life of the trains.

Pininfarina is known for its collaborations with high-end car marques such as Maserati and Ferrari, as well work for Alfa Romeo, Ford and Volvo.

It has also worked on redesigning interiors and exteriors of Italy's high-speed trains, trams in cities across Europe, and the rolling stock for Swiss, Danish and Norwegian railways.

Nicolas Petrovic, chief operating officer for Eurostar, said: "We want to offer our travellers the highest standards in comfort, style and innovation, and I am confident that together we will deliver Eurostar trains that fully meet the 21st century expectations of our travellers."

Eurostar potentially faces competition for passengers travelling by rail between the UK and mainland Europe after 2010, when other companies are allowed to enter the marketplace.