As the Chinese car industry proliferates, it is now seen as a possible threat to well-known automakers in the West. Chinese automakers are venturing into new areas in several ways, such as making an electric SUV and a supercar with three wheels. Michael Mauer, Porsche’s head designer, says it’s surprising people in the West and making them want to try new things. Mauer has worked on some of Porsche’s most famous cars since 2004, such as the 918 Spyder hypercar, the 911, the Cayenne, the Macan, and the Panamera from the 991 generation. Mauer has done an excellent job of updating Porsche’s design elements, but the throughlines in his work can be limiting. In an interview with Bloomberg, he said that Chinese companies don’t have this history, but their new (and sometimes strange) ways of doing things can inspire Western businesses to try new things. “These startups, with no heritage, they can do things completely differently,” says Mauer. “As a designer, I consider it a positive thing because that makes the decision-makers—I.E., the management board—more open-minded.” This is one of the first Western automakers to do well in China. The V.W. Group owns Porsche. Many people liked the VW Jetta so much that it got its brand. In recent years, though, new domestic names focusing more on China have come out, and Mauer explained why V.W.’s market share has decreased. “The success that Volkswagen brand had in the volume segment was, in my opinion, because there was a strong focus on design and design quality,” according to him. “Design is certainly not the biggest issue in the company, but it’s an area where I can still achieve a lot with relatively modest resources.” According to Mauer, the changing currents are a chance for change that will let Porsche rethink its methods and goals. He thinks he can make a big difference in that process, especially since design is so essential to Chinese business culture. “I believe the German auto industry, in particular, has potential to be better,” he stated. But Mauer knows that he can’t just throw curveballs and hope for a strike; that strategy has yet to work in the past. If a thought is too strange, it might be unpleasant or harmed by being changed into a form that can be made. “I keep picturing this stone that you threw into the future in my mind.” What distance should I throw it? Mauer said, “It can be hard to find the right balance between looking too far into the future and not looking far enough.”
