Aliso Viejo, Calif. and Moncalieri, Italy – September 09, 2026 -- UST has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Italdesign from the Audi Group, combining the Italian design house's nearly six-decade automotive legacy with UST's AI and digital engineering capabilities.

UST buys control of Italdesign to accelerate software-defined vehicle development

The deal pairs Italdesign's design and engineering expertise with UST's strengths in automotive engineering, artificial intelligence, and digital ecosystem design, as the industry moves toward software-defined, AI-enabled, connected vehicles. The companies said the partnership will help manufacturers manage the rising complexity of next-generation mobility by speeding innovation from concept through production.

Italdesign will retain its brand and 1,300-person workforce across 10 locations

Headquartered in Moncalieri, near Turin, Italdesign employs more than 1,300 professionals across 10 international locations and has delivered over 1,000 industrial design and transportation projects. Italdesign CEO Antonio Casu said the company will continue to operate under its own name and values, while gaining access to UST's global scale, digital engineering expertise, AI capabilities, and client relationships.

UST cites Italdesign's reputation, not just capabilities, as the investment rationale

"We didn't invest in Italdesign simply because of its capabilities. We invested because of its people, its heritage, and its extraordinary reputation for turning bold ideas into world-class products,