Audi Cedes Majority Control of Italdesign to American Tech Company UST

The historic Italian design firm, a cornerstone of the Volkswagen Group for over a decade, changes corporate hands.

This marks the end of an era in the corporate automotive world. Audi has transferred its majority stake in Italdesign. UST, a technology company based in California, gains control of the emblematic firm. Italdesign had been part of the Volkswagen Group for over a decade.

Audi acquired 90.1% of Italdesign’s shares in August 2010. Later, in June 2015, it bought the remaining 9.9%. This made Italdesign a wholly-owned subsidiary of Audi. Audi will maintain a significant stake through Lamborghini. Lamborghini is part of the Audi “ecosystem”.

The Profound Legacy of Giorgetto Giugiaro

The legendary and prolific Giorgetto Giugiaro founded the studio in 1968. Italdesign worked on a wide range of products for the Volkswagen Group. The firm created the original Golf, Scirocco, and Passat. It also designed the Audi 80 itself and the Asso di Picche concept.

The design studio created various models for SEAT. These include the Ibiza, the León, or the Toledo. Italdesign’s legacy extends far beyond Volkswagen brands. It has shaped cars like the humble Hyundai Pony or the BMW M1. Its portfolio includes designs for Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati.

Merging Engineering and Design for Digital Mobility

UST plans to assume operational responsibility for the company. It will seek to honor and build upon Italdesign’s Italian heritage. The technology company will focus on the design culture and the talent of its employees. The acquisition creates a strong partnership between the two companies.

UST contributes its expertise in automotive engineering and digital ecosystems. This includes artificial intelligence and software-defined vehicle development. Italdesign offers its knowledge in vehicle and product design. The Italian firm also has experience in engineering and small series production. Together, they will offer a complete range of integrated services.

Integrated Services for Software-Defined Vehicles

The companies will combine their capabilities for hardware and software development. They will also support production systems. Services cover everything from initial conception and design to the final phase. This combined capability is designed to support development. The goal is to create fully modern and digitally enabled vehicles.