US technology company UST has completed its purchase of a majority stake in Italian design and engineering firm Italdesign from Audi Group, part of Germany’s Volkswagen.
The deal, whose financial terms have not been disclosed, was signed in December 2025.
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Following completion of the deal, UST now has majority control of the Italian design and engineering company and has taken on its operational oversight.
UST, which is headquartered in California, said it plans to back Italdesign’s growth across its existing international footprint, which spans more than 30 countries.
UST CFO Vijay Padmanabhan said: “By uniting Italdesign’s renowned design and engineering capabilities with UST’s expertise in digital engineering, AI, and technology transformation, we are building a platform to help shape the future of mobility.”
Lamborghini, described as Audi’s performance-vehicle arm and formerly Italdesign’s parent, is retaining a “significant” stake and remains within the Audi Group.
Audi will continue to work with Italdesign as a client and strategic partner rather than as its owner.
The deal brings together UST’s work in automotive engineering, artificial intelligence, software-defined vehicles and digital ecosystems with Italdesign’s activities in design, engineering, prototyping, low-volume manufacturing and automotive electronics.
According to the statement, the intended combined offering covers the full span from initial concept and design to hardware and software development and production systems.
Italdesign has been part of the Volkswagen Group since 2010.
The company is based in Moncalieri near Turin and employs more than 1,300 people across ten sites worldwide.
Founded in 1968, Italdesign has produced upwards of 300 production vehicles as well as more than 100 concept cars and research prototypes.
Italdesign CEO Antonio Casu added: “We will continue to operate as Italdesign, with our values and distinctive competencies, based on a holistic and multidisciplinary approach and an increasing focus on sustainability, while benefiting from UST’s global scale, digital engineering expertise, AI capabilities, and global client relationships,”
