Porsche has undergone a generational change in its design department.

The Stuttgart-based manufacturer has appointed Tobias Sühlmann as its new Head of Design, succeeding Michael Mauer, who has served the post for over two decades and was responsible for quite a lot of modern Porsches.

46-year-old Sühlmann has some big shoes to fill as he succeeds 63-year-old Mauer, who has the Panamera, the Cayenne, the 918 Spyder, and three generations of the modern 911 in his list of achievements.

"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.

Tobias Sühlmann (left) and Michael Mauer (right)

That said, Porsche’s new Head of Design also has an impressive resume. Sühlmann started his career in 2005 with Volkswagen 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, who helped bring to life the Solus GT.

"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 honor for me to be able to help shape and develop Porsche's design philosophy over such a long period of time," said Michael Mauer.

It will be interesting to see what new Porsches will look like in the Sühlmann era.