---
title: Tobias Sühlmann · HICONIUM
description: Tobias Sühlmann in the HICONIUM register — one file carrying their credit.
canonical_url: https://hiconium.dev/people/tobias-suhlmann
image: https://hiconium.dev/og/people/tobias-suhlmann.png
---

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> Path: [Home](https://hiconium.dev/) › [People](https://hiconium.dev/people) › Tobias Sühlmann
> On this page: [Exterior-design roles across Volkswagen, Bentley and McLaren](#exterior-design-roles-across-volkswagen-bentley-and-mclaren) · [One file carries this name](#one-file-carries-this-name)

People

# Tobias Sühlmann

Porsche Head of Design appointee, formerly Bentley Head of Exterior Design on the Batur design team

| Label | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Nationality | German |

The record

German automotive designer appointed by Porsche to become Head of Design effective 1 February 2026; Bentley named him Head of Exterior Design in the Mulliner Batur design team.

Tobias Sühlmann studied transportation design at Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences and joined Volkswagen in 2005. His first two years were at the Potsdam Design Centre; he moved to Wolfsburg in 2007 and later became a team leader in exterior design. Trade coverage identifies him as senior exterior designer on a 2016 Arteon sketch and credits work on the Sport Coupé GTE, Golf GTE Sport, T-Prime GTE, Arteon and later Touareg.

In August 2017 Bugatti appointed Sühlmann Head of Exterior Design Creative Development, reporting to Achim Anscheidt. In May 2018 he moved to Aston Martin as Chief Exterior Designer, replacing Miles Nurnberger after Nurnberger's promotion; both reported to Marek Reichman. After two years at Aston Martin, he worked at McLaren as Lead Designer for Special Projects, overseeing the track-only Solus GT.

Sühlmann joined Bentley in Crewe as Head of Exterior Design in October 2021. Bentley unveiled the 18-series Mulliner Batur at Monterey Car Week on 21 August 2022 and credited Director of Design Andreas Mindt and his team, including Sühlmann and Andrew Hart-Barron. Sühlmann became Bentley Director of Design effective 1 February 2023, left that year, and was appointed McLaren Chief Design Officer from September 2023. Porsche announced his Head of Design appointment effective 1 February 2026.

### Exterior-design roles across Volkswagen, Bentley and McLaren

Sources identify Sühlmann as senior exterior designer on the Volkswagen Arteon sketch, Head of Exterior Design in the Batur design team, and Lead Designer for Special Projects at McLaren, where he oversaw the Solus GT.

The stations

1. 2005–2017 Volkswagen Exterior designer, later team leader
2. 2017–2018 Bugatti Head of Exterior Design Creative Development
3. 2018–2020 Aston Martin Chief Exterior Designer
4. 2020–2021 McLaren Lead Designer, Special Projects
5. 2021–2023 Bentley Head of Exterior Design
6. 2023 Bentley Director of Design
7. 2023–2026 McLaren Chief Design Officer

The house

[![Bentley](https://hiconium.dev/images/marques/full/bentley.svg)](https://hiconium.dev/manufacturers/bentley)

Credited through Bentley.

In the register

## One file carries this name

- [Bentley Mulliner Batur Head of Exterior Design · Bentley 2023– €2M 2023– €2M Rating 91.0](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/bentley/mulliner-batur)

The files above are the register's own record of this name. [The people index](https://hiconium.dev/people) holds everyone the register credits.

In their words

> “We are currently reimagining our design language at Bentley and so having the responsibility to lead this, working closely with all my colleagues, is a privilege. Together, we look forward to taking Bentley to a new direction and making sure modern-day Bentley's are potent, inspirational and harmonious.”

Tobias Sühlmann · World Business Outlook reprint of Bentley Motors, 2023

Sources

- [newsroom.porsche.com](https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2026/company/porsche-head-of-design-tobias-suehlmann-michael-mauer-41611.html)
- [bentleymedia.com](https://www.bentleymedia.com/en/newsitem/1365-batur-starts-design-revolution-for-bentley)
- [bentleymedia.com](https://www.bentleymedia.com/en/newsitem/1458-bentley-motors-appoints-robin-page-as-new-director-of-design)
- [worldbusinessoutlook.com](https://worldbusinessoutlook.com/tobias-suhlmann-is-new-director-of-design-for-bentley-motors/)
- [cardesignnews.com](https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/tobias-suehlmann-from-vw-to-bugatti/456877)
- [cardesignnews.com](https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/bentleys-new-design-boss-jumps-ship-to-mclaren-inside-three-months/436953)
- [cardesignnews.com](https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/porsche-appoints-tobias-suehlmann-as-new-head-of-design/2595752)
- [formtrends.com](https://www.formtrends.com/sketching-volkswagen-arteon/)
- [formtrends.com](https://www.formtrends.com/aston-martin-lagonda-suehlmann/)
- [chapter.digital](https://chapter.digital/en/chapter-talks-design-e32-tobias-suehlmann-chief-design-officer-mclaren-automotive/)