...And VAG grows evermore.

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Terronium-12

Terronium-12

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It's official: The Volkswagen Group buys 90.1% of Italdesign Giugiaro

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You can see its last week that the VAG group was very close to buying Giugiaro, and it has. Today it has formalized the purchase of Italdesign Giugiaro by Volkswagen, an operation which have not been made public the financial intricacies except that the VW group will have 90.1% stake while the family kept Giugiaro remaining 9.9% of your company.

Officially, the company will not be buying Volkswagen or Audi, but Italian Lamborghini’s well-VAG Group member since 1998 – who will materialize the purchase of shares . Importantly, Italdesign has an annual turnover of approximately EUR 100 million and employs approximately 800 employees
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Just read about this in MT a few minutes ago. Apparently, the acquisition is going to be added to Lamborghini primarily. Which beckons the questions: What position does this put Audi in, or rather, what condition? What will the benefits be?
 
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The main question is:

Will Italdesign Giugiaro be exclusively dedicated to design VAG group models, or there will be clearance for them to work on external projects?

Also, it opens a new possibility:

Since many people complain about the lack of attitude and originality of the Porsche 911 design character, will Giugiaro influence the looks of the forthcoming 998 generation?

Everything on this is very intriguing. Nice find.
 
So when Italdesign starts drawing their cars we can all say "Wow, that's a nice looking VAG."
 
Keef
So when Italdesign starts drawing their cars we can all say "Wow, that's a nice looking VAG."
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Stupid. :lol:

EDIT: I just noticed something. The article here states Italdesign has approximately 800 employees, whereas the MT article states that they've employed well over 1,000.
 
I can't see this as a bad acquisition...but dang...VAG is getting bigger.

I suppose this means Italdesign won't be working for the Koreans anymore...
 
As I understand it, Italdesign is still allowed to do outside contracting if companies wish to come to them for it (Giugiaro and Giorgetto own the other 10% of the company). The stuff that Italdesign is currently working on will be allowed to be finished as well.
 
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Toronado
As I understand it, Italdesign is still allowed to do outside contracting if companies wish to come to them for it (Giugiaro and Giorgetto own the other 10% of the company). The stuff that Italdesign is currently working on will be allowed to be finished as well.
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Oh thank god, so we'll continue to see the raw Italian-influenced designs from Giugiaro that we're used to, then. Like the Daewoo Lanos, or the Ssangyong Rexton.
 
Jondot
Oh thank god, so we'll continue to see the raw Italian-influenced designs from Giugiaro that we're used to, then. Like the Ssangyong Rexton.
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The what from the where? :odd:
 
Looks like this VAG is as big and stuffed with money as Paris Hilton's.
 
VW could really do with Giugiaro's help! I find most VW's totaly boring and ugly considering the premium you pay.

Jondot
Oh thank god, so we'll continue to see the raw Italian-influenced designs from Giugiaro that we're used to, then. Like the Daewoo Lanos, or the Ssangyong Rexton.
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Don't knock the Rexton, its awesome, like a Merc!

I also like the Actyon SUT, looks great! :sly:
 
ooooookay...seriously, they should talk to Chrysler, who went on a similar buying spree at LEAST twice. and look what happened to THEM (getting Porsche was a given, they're family)
 
Sniffs
ooooookay...seriously, they should talk to Chrysler, who went on a similar buying spree at LEAST twice. and look what happened to THEM (getting Porsche was a given, they're family)
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Er... you mean being taken over twice ( first Mercedes, now Fiat ), really not the same as buying another company.
Not the same situation by a far stretch..........

The only similar situation I can think of regarding this issue is the acquisition of Ghia by Ford, which became a Ford only design department ( and also degraded to being a luxury badge on the upper end Fords ).
Not sure this will happen here but I can't believe business carrying on as usual.
 
Terronium-12
The what from the where? :odd:
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ssangyong.rexton.1.500.jpg


That was penned by Italdesign.

Although further digging reveals that the Italians simply did the clay model, and then Ssangyong 'tweaked' it. Presumably they added the faux-E class front that Robin likes so much ;)

The Lanos, Leganza (and indeed the Lacetti) are in their portfolio, mind.
 
analog
Er... you mean being taken over twice ( first Mercedes, now Fiat ), really not the same as buying another company.
Not the same situation by a far stretch..........
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I believe what he was referring to was the acquisition of AMC in the '80s, as well as their stakes in Matra/Simca/Sunbeam, and Lamborghini.
 
And Chrysler was doing rather well after that. It seems.

That board is looking pretty busy. Maybe they have the rest of the white space below reserved for more imperialism? VAG is looking to turn into a pretty big company.
 
prower hit the nail on the head, but so did Analogue. it's AFTER Chrysler's buying sprees that they got bought out.
 
Sniffs
prower hit the nail on the head, but so did Analogue. it's AFTER Chrysler's buying sprees that they got bought out.
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Sorry forgot about that, they did buy AMC ( in the eighties ) and the European Rootes Group in the sixties I believe.
And Lamborghini, but that hardly contributed to their downfall.
 
Jeez can VAG get any bigger :lol:
They own VW, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Skoda, SEAT, Porsche, Scania, 19.8% of Suzuki, 90.1% of ItalDesign, it seems this VAG is stuffed! :lol:

Sorry for the puns...
 
Maybe they'll finally be able to design a Lamborghini that does make it to a production besides a tractor.
 
Which, by my Need for Speed 2 experience, most definitely should have gone into production.
 
Keef
Which, by my Need for Speed 2 experience, most definitely should have gone into production.
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Hey I remember that. Didn't it just go by the ItalDesign make though?
 
McLaren
Gandini.

Bertone.

Gandini.

Donckerwolke.

Donckerwolke.

Lamborghini Centro Stile, noted as Donckerwolke.

Credited as Bertone.

The only well known Lamborghini ItalDesign made was the Cala.
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Oh. Idiot me.
 
Keef
Which, by my Need for Speed 2 experience, most definitely should have gone into production.
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It should have, but Audi bought the company right as it was getting ready to go beyond concept phase. Audi shelved it to bring in a new V12 supercar & went back to it when they felt a 2nd model was needed. The idea behind it was perfect, but the car itself was dated, & thus, our Gallardo was born.

Interestingly enough, had Chrysler got the Cala a few years earlier & the car sold as well as the Gallardo did, they might still hold ownership of it...well, until they hit hard times with the other Detroit manufacturers.
 
Am I the only one that thinks the Cala was hideously ugly? Everything Italdesign makes looks like a plastic anime car.
 
Chrysler did do a somewhat thorough redesign of the Diablo, though. Thorough enough to make Gandini angry about it, at least.
 

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