X factor

Woke up this morning in Turin. We stayed overnight in a newly opened hotel, built around a cobbled courtyard, and on the edge of a grand square. It was the launch venue chosen by our hosts at Fiat. The cars were lined up outside ready for us, and the start of our morning's drive was through the city's busy traffic. Fun.

The locals didn't seem to approve of stopping at red traffic lights. It seemed that every time I obediently did so, I was hooted by a disgruntled driver behind, who was apparently cross at being prevented from jumping them!

I drove with Massimo, a fellow Brit journalist whose name is a giveaway that he was Italian-born. We spotted this billboard at a supermarket out in the countryside and couldn't resist using it as a backdrop for photos. Then suddenly it disappeared! It transpired that it was a concealed gate that was opening to let a delivery truck through.