Tobias Sühlmann, 46, took over as head of design at Porsche on February 1, 2026. The designer succeeds Michael Mauer, who has been head of design at Porsche for over two decades. Sühlmann comes from McLaren, where he had been Chief Design Officer since 2023. “Michael Mauer has shaped an era at Porsche. Together with his team, he has skilfully translated the iconic design of the 911 into the modern era and, at the same time, unmistakably transferred the Porsche design DNA to the new model series,” said Michael Leiters, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG.
A good example is the Panamera, the first sports sedan in the automaker’s history. Mauer, as head of design, and Leiters, as product strategist, jointly launched the four-door model in 2009. Leiters: “A Porsche must engage 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 hold him in high regard. We thank him for his outstanding work and wish him all the best for the future.”
Mauer will continue to support his successor Tobias Sühlmann during a transition period. Sühlmann also studied at Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences and joined Volkswagen in 2005 before moving to Bugatti. As Head of Exterior Design, he moved to Aston Martin before joining McLaren for the first time. At Bentley, he then made a significant contribution to the design of the Batur.
