The last several years have caused tough times for the once great Italian design houses like Pininfarina, Bertone and Italdesign. Both Pininfarina and Bertone have required financial bailouts after over extending themselves. By comparison, Italdesign, founded by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1968, may have found a saviour to keep it above water in the form of Volkswagen AG. VW and the specialist studio have a long working relationship going back to the first generation Scirocco and Golf both of which were designed by Giugiaro. Italdesign has also penned many VW Group concept vehicles for the last thirty years.

Giorgetto Giugiaro and his son Fabrizio are currently the sole owners of the studio, but Volkswagen may be poised to take a majority stake in the Italian company. It’s unknown at this stage if Italdesign will continue doing work for outside clients under VW ownership.

The last several years have caused tough times for the once great Italian design houses like Pininfarina, Bertone and Italdesign. Both Pininfarina and Bertone have required financial bailouts after over extending themselves. By comparison, Italdesign, founded by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1968, may have found a saviour to keep it above water in the form of Volkswagen AG. VW and the specialist studio have a long working relationship going back to the first generation Scirocco and Golf both of which were designed by Giugiaro. Italdesign has also penned many VW Group concept vehicles for the last thirty years.

Giorgetto Giugiaro and his son Fabrizio are currently the sole owners of the studio, but Volkswagen may be poised to take a majority stake in the Italian company. It’s unknown at this stage if Italdesign will continue doing work for outside clients under VW ownership.