Porsche poaches new design chief from McLaren

Porsche has announced former McLaren Chief Design Officer Tobias Sühlmann will replace Michael Mauer as head of design effective February 1, 2026.

Mr. Sühlmann, who worked on the McLaren 750S and Artura Spider sports cars, will replace Michael Mauer, who has worked at the German sports car manufacturer since 2004.

Mr. Mauer led the design of several vehicle generations and previously worked at Mercedes-Benz, General Motors and Smart.

During his more than 21 years with the brand, Mr. Mauer had the task of further developing the design of the Porsche 911, one of the most famous and iconic sports cars, across the 997, 991 and the current 992 generations.

He also led the design of the Boxster, Cayman and Cayenne while overseeing the visual identity of new nameplates such as the Panamera, Macan, 918 Spyder and the electric Taycan.

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“Michael Mauer shaped an era at Porsche,” Porsche CEO Michael Leiters said in a statement. “His work has shaped the style of the Porsche brand and will remain visible in the future.”

“Tobias Sühlmann can build on a unique design philosophy,” said Mr. Leiters. “With his experience in the design of sports and super sports cars, he will further sharpen Porsche’s profile.”

Mr Mauer will support the arrival of Mr Sühlmann – whose experience beyond McLaren includes time at Aston Martin and Volkswagen, where he worked on the Bugatti and Bentley brands – in his transition into the role.

“Timeless design needs both consistency and new impulses. Given Porsche’s strategic realignment, now is a good time to bring in new perspectives,” Mauer said in a statement.