Bertone's greatest car designs

Bertone has ended recent speculation regarding its future by confirming the company faces bankruptcy unless a buyer can be found by the end of April.

A spokesman for the Turin-based coachbuilder told the Telegraph: “The problem is many debts and very high costs. At the moment everything is blocked.”

This isn’t the first time the Italian carrozzeria – which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012 – has faced financial difficulty, narrowly avoiding bankruptcy between 2007 and 2008, and again in 2011.

It is understood a number of possible buyers have already expressed interest in taking over the struggling automotive design house, which may well lead to a Touring-style revival of fortunes.

Famous for some of the most distinctive designs of the 20th century, including the Lamborghini Miura and Lancia Stratos, in recent years Bertone has focused much of its efforts on projects in Asia.

To mark Bertone’s potential passing, we’ve put together a gallery featuring some of the coachbuilder’s best designs. Let us know your favourite in the comments section below. You can also check out the top 10 greatest Lancia cars ever to see more great Italian designs.