GM Exec New Head Designer at Porsche

FRANKFURT, May 10, 2004; Reuters reported that German luxury carmaker Porsche AG has appointed Michael Mauer to take over as chief designer from Dutchman Harm Lagaay, who will retire on July 1 after 15 years in the post, the company said on Monday.

Porsche said 41-year-old Mauer, currently director of General Motors Europe's Advanced Design, would start in the job by November 1 at the latest.

Before joining GM in 2000, he worked for 14 years on a variety of projects as auto designer at DaimlerChrysler AG's Mercedes-Benz unit.

Fellow German automaker Volkswagen also recently announced a change of its head of design, appointing 46-year-old Murat Guenak to the post after Hartmut Warkuss retired following more than three decades at VW.