Audi has offloaded its majority stake in the legendary Italdesign studio to a California-based technology firm called UST, a company whose expertise lies more in Artificial Intelligence and cybersecurity than in sculpting sheet metal. After over a decade under the protective wing of the Volkswagen Group, the iconic design house, founded by the prolific Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1968, is changing hands.
Audi, which acquired Italdesign in stages, achieving full ownership by 2015, will maintain a “significant participation” through Lamborghini, a humorous reminder that some of the quirkier parts of Italdesign’s portfolio, such as a handful of Lamborghini tractors, remain in the family.
The legacy Italdesign leaves behind is staggering. It shaped foundational VW Group models like the original Golf, Scirocco, and Passat, alongside the Audi 80. But its influence extended far beyond, touching everything from the Hyundai Pony and Daewoo Lacetti to the BMW M1 and countless Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati models.
So, who is UST, the new corporate parent? They are a major tech player, claiming over $1 billion in generated value and employing 30,000 people globally. Their intent is to “assume operational responsibility while honoring and leveraging Italdesign’s Italian tradition, design culture, and talent”.
The new partnership aims to offer an integrated service. Combining UST’s expertise in AI, software-defined vehicles, and digital ecosystems with Italdesign’s deep knowledge of vehicle design, engineering, prototyping, and low-volume production. This move signals a fundamental shift in how future vehicles will be developed, from initial sketch to software architecture.
Italdesign’s last project under Audi ownership was perhaps its most ethereal. A small 2+2 electric coupe concept, the EVX. Built on the MEB+ platform, the EVX wasn’t even a physical car. It was presented as a mere hologram at the IAA Mobility show, a ghostly farewell to the physical design era. The hope is that UST will allow Italdesign to truly pioneer the next generation of digitally focused, fully modern vehicle development.
