Appointing a new Head of Design often hints at a shift in direction for a carmaker, but at Porsche, it genuinely marks the end of an era. Michael Mauer held the role for more than twenty years, a tenure so influential that the company itself points to the launch of the Panamera as one of the defining milestones of his career.
“Michael Mauer shaped an era at Porsche. Together with his team, he has carefully brought the iconic design of the 911 into the modern era and at the same time unmistakably transferred the Porsche design DNA to new model series,” said Dr. Michael Leiters, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. A good example of this is the Panamera, the first sports sedan in the history of the sports car manufacturer. Mauer as head of design and Leiters as product strategist had jointly launched the four-door model in 2009. Leiters: “A Porsche must appeal to all the senses – that is Michael Mauer’s leitmotif. The Panamera is one of many convincing examples. I have known Michael Mauer for many years and appreciate him as an excellent professional and extraordinary personality. His work has shaped the style of the Porsche brand and will remain visible in the future. We thank him for his outstanding work and wish him all the best for the future.”
It is unlikely to be a coincidence that his successor, like Leiters, arrives most recently from McLaren. Tobias Sühlmann began his career at Volkswagen, but it was his time at Bugatti, Aston Martin and Bentley, along with an earlier spell in Woking, that helped establish his reputation. Most recently, he served as Chief Design Officer at McLaren, where he carried overall responsibility for the W1 programme.
Sühlmann is one of several senior figures to exit McLaren following its merger with Forseven, yet his wider background arguably makes him a natural fit for Porsche. He will once again need to balance low-slung sports cars with high-profile SUVs in a diverse product range. ‘Tobias Sühlmann builds on a distinctive design philosophy,’ Leiters added. ‘With his experience across sports and super sports cars, he will further sharpen Porsche’s profile. His breadth of knowledge will help him shape a wide range of high-end vehicles.’
As is always the case with long design tenures, Mauer’s influence will linger. Several key future models, including the all-electric successor to the 718, were developed under his watch and have yet to be revealed. Still, Porsche is in the middle of a very public period of transition, which means Sühlmann will inherit both opportunity and scrutiny when he officially takes over next week.
Reflecting on his departure, Michael Mauer said: “Timeless design needs both: durability and new impulses. In view of Porsche’s strategic realignment, now is a good time to bring new perspectives to the design as well. It was a great pleasure and honour for me to be able to help shape and develop Porsche’s design philosophy over such a long period of time.”
