BAU Universal
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Native name | Barmonti Autoki Universitas |
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| Formerly |
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| Company type | Private |
| Industry |
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| Founded | March 15 1952 |
| Founder | Adro Barmonti |
| Headquarters | 11 Lucianceri Forum, , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
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| Products | Automobiles, vehicles |
| Services | Coachbuilder, industrial design, car design |
| Revenue |  $7.8 billion |
| Owner |
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Number of employees | 3300 |
| Divisions |
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| Subsidiaries | Anontoreloš |
BAU Universal (Caphiric Latin: Barmonti Autoki Universitas), also known as Barmonti Automotive, is a Caphirian industrial design company which specializes in car styling, coachbuilding and manufacturing. It is also an automotive design and manufacturing firm, having designed high-speed trains, buses, trams, rolling stocks, automated light rail cars, people movers, yachts, airplanes, and private jets. Since 2010, BAU Universal operates as a majority-owned independent subsidiary under automotive giant Chromeria.
The company was founded in 1952 by Adro Barmonti of the prestigious Barmonti Estate, a patrician family whose metallurgical expertise dated back to the Third Imperium. The company's first major project was redesigning military vehicles for civilian use, releasing the Barmonti Ralegresce IX in 1956. The firms early success caught the attention of Caphiria's patrician class, leading to a series of exclusive commissions, including the famous "Consul Series" - twelve completely custom vehicles for senior magistrates. The 1970s saw BAU expand into broader transportation design; their work on the Thessian Metropolitan Railway's luxury carriages demonstrated their ability to scale their design principles to larger vehicles. This project led to contracts with various provincial governments and eventually international clients. By 1975, BAU had established dedicated divisions for aerospace, marine, and public transportation design. In 1978, the firm acquired the Anontoreloš Metallurgy Company, one of Caphiria's oldest metal refineries. This acquisition gave them direct control over their supply chain and access to rare alloys previously unavailable to automotive manufacturers. The company used this advantage to develop lightweight, high-strength materials that enabled even more dramatic designs. Since 1998, the firm has consulted on industrial design, interior design, architecture, and graphic design.
BAU Universal operates across 4 divisions - BAU Manufacturing, BAU Stile, BAU Technica, and BAU Universal Design Studio. The firm owns several studios, workshops, and production facilities, including a private 23,000 square meter (250,000 sq ft) workshop for exclusive projects. The firm's annual R&D budget exceeds $5 billion, with significant investment in next-generation materials and manufacturing processes. The current Chief Executive is Vandricor Barmonti and Iloterian Vellarocuccini is Executive Creative Director. The company employs over 3,200 people, including 450 designers and engineers, and maintains a prestigious apprenticeship program that accepts only 25 new students each year. The firm's project portfolio includes over 200 production vehicle designs, 85 concept cars, and numerous transportation designs across various sectors. Notable recent projects include the redesign of Thessia's automated light rail system, development of luxury carriages for the Venceia-Cartamanduara CELER rail line, and several classified military vehicle programs.
History
Organization
BAU Manufacturing
BAU Manufacturing, also known as Officina Barmonti, handles all production and manufacturing operations. Officina Barmonti traces its roots to 1959 when Adro Barmonti purchased an ancient foundry complex in the Stava region of Biellanze and transformed it into a modern manufacturing facility. The original foundry, dating back to 1672, was carefully preserved and integrated into the new facility, creating a unique blend of historical and modern manufacturing capabilities. The facility is known as Stava Central Complex, and is 450,000 m2. The firm also operates two additional facilities - the Cartamanduara Prototype Center is 120,000 m2 and is for advanced prototyping and testing, while the Limited Production Facility in Thessia is an 85,000 m2 complex for exclusive/limited series productions. Each facility maintains a traditional forge section for specialized metalworking.
Officina Barmonti produces approximately 600-800 specialized vehicles annually and employs 1,200 craftspeople, including 150 master metalworkers. Marcus Trovetti has been Director of BAU Manufacturing since 2020.
BAU Stile
BAU Stile, also known as the Stylus Division, handles all automotive styling and design operations. BAU Stile operates from the iconic Castra di Vetro (Glass House) in Suvera, a 35,000 m² modernist structure that combines Caphirian architectural elements with contemporary design. The facility houses traditional drafting studios, digital design labs, full-scale modeling workshops, and a private gallery of concept vehicles. The division operates three additional facilities - the 15,000 m² Advanced Design Studio in Venceia for future concepts and experimental designs, the 10,000 m² Color & Materials Studio in Serrati specializing in finishes and materials, and the Heritage Design Workshop focusing on restoration and classic redesigns.
The division is renowned for its signature design philosophy - Caripovucelin, which has profoundly influenced automotive aesthetics since the 1960s. This design philosophy combines Caphirian architectural grandeur with retrofuturist elements, characterized by its signature "floating fascia," dramatic proportions, and innovative use of materials. Key expressions of Caripovucelin include the 1968 Palsus CCLXXVIII concept that introduced the distinctive Empario line, and the revolutionary 1982 Lavitro Curatinse that perfected the tension between brutalist angles and Art Deco curves.
BAU Stile's influence extends beyond automotive design through its comprehensive archive and educational initiatives; the division maintains the Barmonti Design Collection, housing over 300 design patents and the world's largest private collection of automotive design sketches. Their prestigious Stile de Vitustrio academy accepts less than 1,000 apprentices annually, training them in both traditional hand-sketching techniques and advanced digital design. Notable projects include the award-winning 1991 Facarăsio Collection series of concept cars, the ongoing development of the Lavitro design language, and several classified military vehicle programs that have influenced civilian design.
The division employs 450 designers and creative professionals, including 50 master designers who each specialize in specific aspects of vehicle design. Under Design Director Iloterian Vellarocuccini, supported by Marina Arardo as Head of Concept Design and Datharmiro Barmonti as Chief of Heritage Design, BAU Stile is focused on pushing the boundaries of automotive design while maintaining its deep connection to Caphirian cultural heritage. BAU Stile has produced over 85 concept cars and influenced the design of more than 200 production vehicles. The division has won 35 International Design Excellence Awards, 12 Caphirian Design Council Grand Prix awards, and 8 Automotive Design Guild "Designer of the Year" awards.
BAU Technica
BAU Technica oversees all materials research, engineering development, and technological innovation. The division operates from the Advanced Materials Research Center (AMRC), a 65,000 m² facility in the Southern Imperium that combines traditional Barmonti metallurgical facilities with state-of-the-art laboratories. The AMRC houses the Historical Metallurgy Archive containing the Barmonti family's ancient metallurgical texts, alongside modern research facilities including advanced wind tunnels, climate chambers, and the largest private materials testing complex in Caphiria. The division maintains two additional facilities - the 25,000 m² Aerodynamics Center in Carina specializing in computational fluid dynamics and full-scale testing, and the 18,000 m² Environmental Research Facility in Thessia focusing on sustainable materials development.
The division is particularly noted for its pioneering work in metallurgy and composites; their proprietary Perontolo process, developed in 1964, revolutionized automotive body construction by enabling the creation of seamless panels from advanced alloys. Other significant innovations include the development of carbon-ceramic composite brake systems, high-strength aluminum alloys for safety structures, and thermochromic materials for adaptive vehicle surfaces. BAU Technica maintains a unique position in the industry through its combination of traditional Barmonti metallurgical techniques with modern materials science, resulting in over 1,200 active patents. BAU Technica employs 850 researchers and engineers, including 200 materials scientists and 150 aerodynamics specialists. Under the leadership of Technical Directory Lucretia Sesterzio and Research Director Avaldolomir Gesi, the division manages an annual research budget of $3.5 billion. Recent projects include the development of self-healing metal alloys, quantum dot-enhanced solar glass, and several classified military materials programs. The division also operates the prestigious Barmonti Technical Fellowship program, which pairs promising engineers with master craftsmen to ensure the preservation of traditional metallurgical knowledge alongside technological advancement.
Universal Design Studio
The Universal Design Studio (UDS) represents the firm's expansion beyond automotive design into broader industrial and transportation applications. Operating from a converted 400,000 m² former Legion aircraft facility in Venceia, the studio handles all non-automotive projects including high-speed trains, aerospace design, marine vessels, and public infrastructure. The facility features full-scale mock-up spaces, virtual reality design suites, and specialized transportation design workshops. The division maintains two satellite studios - the 12,000 m² Transportation Design Center (TDC) in Cartamanduara focusing on rail and mass transit projects, and the 8,000 m² Marine Design Studio (MDS) in Meceria specializing in yacht and naval architecture.
The division has shaped many significant infrastructure projects across Caphiria, most notably the redesign of the Thessian Metropolitan Railway's luxury carriages and the development of the CELER high-speed rail system's distinctive aesthetic. Their work extends into aviation with private jet interior designs, public infrastructure projects like automated people movers, and maritime designs ranging from luxury yachts to commercial vessels. The studio's approach applies Caripovucelin principles across these diverse platforms while adapting to each sector's unique requirements. UDS employs 800 designers and engineers across various specialties, with Director of Universal Design Omelia Mordadrotti overseeing operations. Notable recent projects include the streamlined design of Zaclaria's new high-speed rail fleet, development of next-generation automated light rail vehicles for Venceia's transit system, and several confidential aerospace programs. The division maintains strong relationships with major transportation manufacturers worldwide while preserving its distinctively Caphirian design philosophy across all projects.
Corporate affairs
Executive management
Design and production activity
Concept cars
| Model | Year | Image | Notes |
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| Lavitro Devaevis 1800 | 
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| BAU Chiroptera | |||