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Tobias Sühlmann replaces Michael Mauer as head of Porsche design
Published: 28 January 2026
► Porsche secures new design chief
► Michael Mauer steps down after 20 years
► Former McLaren design head Sühlmann joins
Porsche has announced that Tobias Sühlmann will succeed Michael Mauer as head of design for the brand.
Mauer has worked as head of Porsche design for more than 20 years, overseeing generations of 911 designs as well as the launch of cars like the Panamera, iterations of the Cayenne, the 918 Spyder and the Taycan to name just a few. His replacement, Tobias Sühlmann, had previously had stints working at McLaren in its design team, working on cars like the Solus GT.
Sühlmann’s most recent time saw him become McLaren’s chief design officer in 2023, where he was working on evolving the brand’s design cues for use in a wider product portfolio. Sühlmann had been working for a lot of that time at McLaren under Michael Leiters, who now – coincidentally – is the chairman of the Porsche brand. Both of these former McLaren employees have left not long after the Forseven takeover of McLaren that aims to rewrite the British brand’s playbook.
Sühlmann will have big shoes to fill in his new role at Porsche following after Mauer, who intends to stay on in the company for a short period to help with the significant transition. ‘Timeless design needs both durability and new impulses,’ says Mauer in a statement on the announcement. ‘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.’
Leiters says of Sühlmann’s appointment: ‘Tobias Sühlmann can build on a unique design philosophy. With his experience in the design of sports and super sports cars, he will further sharpen Porsche’s profile. His broad knowledge and extensive experience will help him to design a large number of different vehicles in the high-end sector.’
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