From the company that just showed off a nice redesign of its iconic 911 sports coupe line comes the news that Porsche’s head of design is to step down, replaced by the chief designer at General Motors’ Saab.

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A Financial Times report said Netherlands-born Harm Lagaay, 57, will retire on July 1 after being responsible for the design of all Porsche models since 1989, including the Cayenne SUV, which marked a break from Porsche’s traditional, low-slung sports vehicles.


The FT noted that the Cayenne (much maligned, especially in the US, by some traditionalists) has powered recent profits growth at Porsche, the world’s most profitable carmaker in terms of margins, accounting for more half of its sales in the six months to January 31 this year.


Porsche chief executive Wendelin Wiedeking reportedly said Lagaay’s “design philosophy and skill have made a major contribution to the high standing of the 911, Boxster and Cayenne on all the world markets and therefore to the success of the company as a whole”.


The Financial Times said Lagaay’s successor is Michael Mauer, 41, a German who joined Saab as executive director responsible for design in June 2000. Colleagues reportedly say his style is identified with concept cars such as the 9-3X – described by Mauer as an “offroader/coupé cross-over” and the 9-3 sport hatch unveiled at last September’s motor show in Frankfurt.

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According to the FT, Saab has struggled to maintain its individuality while also producing profitable vehicles but Simon Padian, head of project design at Saab, reportedly said Mauer has “a lot of vision and passion for the product” and added: “Porsche is also a company with a very strong heritage and you cannot ignore that. I am sure [Mauer] will inject a certain amount of fresh thinking into the brand.”


The FT noted that, before Saab, Mauer – reportedly described by those who have worked with him as “young, dynamic, sporty looking” – spent most of his career at Mercedes where he was responsible for designing the small A-Class as well as SLK (steel roof convertible sports coupe) models.


The Financial Times added that he moved to Mercedes’ design studio in Tokyo in 1998 and a year later was put in charge of design at the Smart division, where he was responsible for the Smart car’s evolution.