EQS-News: Porsche appoints new Head of Design: Tobias Sühlmann succeeds Michael Mauer

Porsche appoints new Head of Design: Tobias Sühlmann succeeds Michael Mauer

Stuttgart. Tobias Sühlmann (46) will take over as Head of Design at Porsche from 1 February 2026. He succeeds Michael Mauer (63), who has been responsible for Porsche design for more than two decades. Sühlmann comes from the British sports car manufacturer McLaren. He had been Chief Design Officer there since 2023. With this change, Porsche is undergoing a generational change.

"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," says 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."

Michael Mauer started in 2004 as the fourth Head of Design in Porsche's long history. His predecessors were Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, Anatol Lapine and Harm Lagaay.  Mauer studied automotive design at the Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences and came to Porsche via stations at Mercedes, Smart and Saab. At the beginning of his tenure at Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, he was responsible for the revision of the Cayenne, the new Panamera and the 918 Spyder super sports car. Michael Mauer also transferred the unmistakable Porsche design into the electric age.

His more than two decades of work illustrate the exceptional position of the native of Hesse at Porsche. Michael Mauer: "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."

Michael Mauer will continue to support his successor Tobias Sühlmann in a transitional period. Sühlmann also studied at the University of Applied Sciences in Pforzheim. The future Head of Design started at Volkswagen in 2005 and then moved to Bugatti. As Head of Exterior Design, he went to Aston Martin before working for McLaren for the first time. At Bentley, he was later significantly involved in the design of the Batur. In September 2023, he joined McLaren as Chief Design Officer. Michael Leiters: "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."