The company behind France’s flagship TGV train has taken its biggest technological leap forward in 30 years by unveiling on Tuesday a radical new design of high-speed train designed to cruise at 360kph (224mph).

The AGV – Automotrice Grand Vitesse (high-speed rail car) – will be the first French-built high-speed train to break with the train á grand vitesse (high-speed train) design pioneered on France’s first dedicated high-speed route, from Paris to Lyons, opened in 1981.