That's actually so cool. As Italian, I've just realized I take pasta shapes for granted. They're actually something that can be invented and that involves plenty of creativity and passion.
This said, I think the actual pasta quality will always be more important than any fancy shape. Cascatelli that overcook in an instant will always be worse than some old-fashioned penne that don't.
The idea of a special shape also suggests that the interaction between sauce and pasta is a mechanical process, which is appealing in the US, where pasta and sauce used to be (and may still be) served in separate bowls.
Also thrilled to have an opportunity to say "radiatori" 3, nay 4 times in context.