Ford designer takes creative reins at McLaren

There is apparently no shortage of design work to be done in Woking - now McLaren says it has found the man to do it

By PH Staff / Sunday, 12 April 2026 / Loading comments

According to reports elsewhere on the internet, McLaren is quietly riding the crest of a new and beautiful wave. Its merger with Forseven - allegedly a ‘luxury startup’ in its own right, though its website now redirects to a McLaren press release - resulted less in the mass exodus of senior staff (though of course its CEO had to go, among others) and more in an optimistic new era of investment and lineup diversification. And while its updated product strategy never materialised last year, we’re promised a deeper dive into what’s on the chopping board this summer.

Into this hive of activity (and to replace Tobias Sühlmann, the design boss who followed Michael Leiters to Porsche), steps Kemal Curic, formerly the Global Design Director for Performance Vehicles at Ford. If you’re inclined to think ‘what Performance Vehicles’ based on the conspicuous lack of grunt among so many Blue Oval EVs, rest assured that Curic has been at Ford sufficiently long for him to be credited with the exterior styling of the S550-gen Mustang - i.e. the one that finally covered itself in worldwide, right-hand-drive glory.

Moreover, he’ll have seen plenty of SUVs and Baja-grade pickups in his time, experience that ought to come in handy as McLaren seeks to go places it actively avoided before. As you might expect for someone assuming the title of Chief Design Officer, at McLaren his remit will include interiors, exteriors, CMF and digital design, and he will ultimately be responsible for the creative direction of the brand (presumably in conjunction with Alister Whelan, who was appointed as CCO just last year).

“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,” said Curic. “I look forward to working with the talented teams at McLaren to create the next generation of breathtaking, purpose-driven cars.”

Given that his appointment is said to have started this month, it will obviously take some time for his influence to be felt, meaning that any new product in the short term will be chiefly the work of his predecessor - though it remains to be seen quite how far along McLaren has got with the models it intends to launch prior to 2030. We’re told not to expect anything fully electric, based on unreceptive market conditions, which seems prudent even in the light of Ferrari forging ahead with its own battery-powered flagship.

At any rate, if McLaren is truly basking in the glow of an eight-figure CYVN investment, his in-tray ought to be bulging. His new employer notes the designer’s talent for ‘successfully evolving iconic cars whilst staying true to their heritage’ - a justifiable nod to the Mustang - but an ‘ability to balance innovation and brand authenticity’ will be at the root of his tenure in Surrey. McLaren’s capacity for innovation is hardly in question; its ability to remain true to itself as its range inevitably gets larger and heavier, remains to be seen.