Volkswagen has bought a 90 per cent stake in Italdesign, the Italian design house responsible for some of the its most successful and iconic models, including the original Golf and Scirocco.
Italdesign was founded in Turin during 1968 by Giorgetto Giugiaro and Aldo Mantovani, both pioneers of modern Italian automobile design. They have been responsible for the original Fiat Panda, the Lotus Esprit and also the first true MPV, the 1978 Lancia Megamma.
As well as cars, Giugiaro has designed everything from cameras to pasta.
Today, the company generates sales of over €100million and 800 employees. The remaining shares will stay in the possession of the present owners the Giugiaro family.
“With this shareholding in Italdesign, we are participating in one of the most renowned design and development companies with one of the richest traditions in the automobile industry,” said Volkswagen’s Chairman Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn.
“Italdesign is the flagship for creative Italian automobile design and has been instrumental in shaping the face of the automobile industry worldwide. As the creator of the Golf I, Giorgetto Giugiaro laid a new foundation for Volkswagen design in the 1970s.”
By Rhian Angharad Jones
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Well they interfere to much and ruin the creativity