Mercedes-Benz has announced that Chief Design Officer Gorden Wagener will leave the company on 31st January 2026, marking the end of an era. The German carmaker confirmed the move in a management update, noting that Wagener is departing at his own request. The current Head of Design at AMG, Bastian Baudy, will succeed Wagener starting 1st February 2026.
Wagener first joined the company in 1997, kickstarting a career spanning almost 30 years at Mercedes-Benz. One of his most recognisable early projects was his work on the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, where he was responsible for the styling alongside legendary engineer Gordon Murray.
Beyond his work on high-performance models, Wagener also shaped the design of the brand’s mainstream vehicles. Following his appointment as head of the exterior and interior styling department in 1999, he oversaw the development of the Mercedes-Benz GL, ML, R-Class models, and the Mercedes-Benz CLS, the latter the world’s first four-door coupe.
In mid-2008, Gorden Wagener was appointed Head of Design for Mercedes-Benz, succeeding Peter Pfeiffer. At just 39 years old, he became the youngest person in the company’s history to lead the global design unit. Shortly after, his title was expanded to Vice President of Design at Daimler AG, where he officially established the “Sensual Purity” design language.
One of the first production models to receive this new treatment was the extensively facelifted 2013 W212 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which replaced the sharper lines of the original with a smoother and more athletic silhouette.
His leadership culminated in 2016 when he was promoted to Chief Design Officer. In this role, Wagener became responsible for all brands under the corporate umbrella, including the performance-focused AMG and the ultra-luxury Maybach divisions.
His legacy includes the first-generation Mercedes-AMG GT, the current R232 Mercedes-Benz SL and the modernised G-Class. Some of Wagener’s final contributions include the new electric GLC, the all-new CLA and the retro-futuristic Vision Iconic concept.
Commenting on the departure, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Ola Källenius, praised Wagener as a leader who had “shaped the company and its products over many years,” thanking him for his “outstanding contributions and loyalty” to the brand.
