Ford Performance Vehicles design boss moves to Woking to shape British supercar maker’s new era
McLaren has announced its new design boss: Kemal Curic, who formerly led design for Ford Performance Vehicles.
Curic joins the British supercar maker to replace Tobias Sühlmann, who left for Porsche earlier this year after a three-year stint as chief design officer.
Curic had been at Ford since 2004, working first as an interior designer and going on to play a significant role in the design of the Mk3 Focus, before leading the styling of the S550-generation Mustang.
More recently, the Bosnian-German has been based in the US, heading up design for Ford’s luxury brand Lincoln.
Stationed in Woking as of this month, he will be responsible “for shaping the design vision and creative direction of the McLaren Automotive portfolio”, the company said, with a remit that encompasses interior, exterior, CMF and digital design.
McLaren is gearing up for a ground-up renewal of its product portfolio – and an expansion into new segments outside of the traditional supercar sphere – following its merger with start-up Forseven last year. It’s due to preview its first model created under Forseven this summer.
It isn’t clear whether Curic will play a leading role in the shaping of these first new-era McLaren models or whether their styling was signed off under the previous design administration.
Curic said: “McLaren is one of the most respected and aspirational brands in the world. I’m excited to be part of their journey to help shape the design vision of a company so deeply rooted in engineering excellence and racing heritage.
“I look forward to working with the talented teams at McLaren to create the next generation of breathtaking, purpose‑driven cars.”
