--- title: "Porsche Exec Says Chinese Tastes Will Force It to Design More Futuristic Cars" description: "Porsche's design lead says China's free-thinking car industry is making businesses like VW more willing to try new ideas to succeed." date: "2023-10-23" modified: "2023-10-23" authors: - name: "James Gilboy" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/porsche-exec-says-chinese-tastes-will-force-it-to-design-more-futuristic-cars" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Porsche News" --- # Porsche Exec Says Chinese Tastes Will Force It to Design More Futuristic Cars ![Geely Galaxy]() *\Geely\* The Chinese car industry is [rapidly maturing](), and is now seen as [a looming threat to legacy western carmakers](). In fact, in some regards, Chinese automakers are pioneering new territory, with [a supercar that can drive on three wheels]() to [an electric SUV designed to float](). It's catching the west off guard, and encouraging it to take risks with new ideas according to Porsche's chief designer, Michael Mauer. Having joined [Porsche]() in 2004, Mauer had a hand in Stuttgart's most visible models, from the [918 Spyder hypercar]() to the 991-generation [911](), Cayenne, Macan, and Panamera. Mauer has successfully translated Porsche's design cues into new eras, but as recognizable as the through-lines have made his designs, they can also be limiting. He remarked in an interview with [*Bloomberg*]() how not having that heritage can be an advantage to Chinese companies, but also that their fresh ([if sometimes strange]()) approaches can inspire western brands to try new ideas. "These startups, with no heritage, they can do things completely different," Mauer told *Bloomberg*. "I consider it a positive thing actually, as a designer, because that makes the decision-makers—I.E., the management board—more open-minded." ![Ji Yue 01, a purple crossover as viewed from above]() *Ji Yue 01. *Zhejian Geely** Porsche's owner, the VW Group, was one of the first western success stories in the Chinese car market. The [VW Jetta]() in particular was so successful that [it was spun off into its own brand](). However, VW's market share has eroded in recent years with the rise of distinct, more China-attuned domestic brands, and Mauer offered a theory as to why. "The success that Volkswagen brand had in the volume segment was, in my opinion, due to the fact that there was a strong focus on design and design quality," Mauer continued. "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." Mauer views the turning tides as an opportunity for inflection, where [Porsche]() can reexamine how it does things and why. He thinks he can have an outsize role in that process, especially with design being such a large part of the Chinese industry's identity. "I believe the German auto industry in particular has potential to be better," Mauer said. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs4BNOfLHYw At the same time, Mauer knows he can't just [toss curveballs and hope for a strike](); history shows that doesn't tend to work. Too outlandish a concept could be off-putting, or it might be compromised by adaption to a production-ready shape. "I always have this image in my head of this stone that you throw into the future. The question is, how far do I throw it? Hitting that sweet spot exactly, going far enough into the future, but not too far, is a real challenge," Mauer concluded. *Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: james@thedrive.com* ## Author James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids." ### Author social links [Instagram]()