But given the backlash that closures cause there, their first factory-sharing may come elsewhere: just before the Paris show a French union official let slip that the two firms were looking at building cars together in Brazil.

ECONOMIST: Carmaking alliances

"We're building week on week and we've got to make sure we don't slip up next week, " he said.

BBC: Halfpenny is compared to Williams

Fear that Georgia might slip back into chaos, and recognition of Mr Saakashvili's role in building a functioning state, have deterred most Georgians from backing the opposition.

ECONOMIST: Political turmoil in Georgia