- Gorden Wagener is officially leaving Mercedes on January 31, 2026.
- He’s been head of design since 2008 and has been a major force.
- Wagener penned the SLR McLaren and W222 S-Class, among others.
While questions are still swirling around Jaguar Land Rover and Gerry McGovern, there’s been another major shakeup in the industry. However, this one’s official as Mercedes announced Chief Design Officer Gorden Wagener is leaving the company on January 31, 2026.
The automaker said Wagener requested to leave and the two sides came to a mutual agreement over his departure. The terms remain a mystery, but this marks the end of a nearly 30 year relationship.
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Wagener joined Mercedes in 1997 and gained acclaim for designing the SLR McLaren. He also designed the A-Class (W176), S-Class (W222), and an assortment of other models.
He eventually became head of design in 2008. Less than a decade later, he would be named the company’s first Chief Design Officer.
Thanks to these elevated roles, Wagener had a hand in crafting an assortment of different models including the first-generation AMG GT (C190) and the latest SL (R232). The automaker went on to note he “consistently developed the design of the Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach and G-Class brands as well as Smart.”
However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg as Wagener took Mercedes design far beyond cars. In particular, Mercedes-Benz Style helped craft helicopters, luxury yachts, furniture, and residential projects such as Mercedes-Benz Places Miami.
While Mercedes glossed over the ‘bad’ stuff, there’s been a lot of it lately and it’s impossible to ignore. The anonymous EQ lineup was largely panned and the company rushed an emergency facelift for the EQS out the door.
The company has also been heavily criticized for abandoning traditional luxury and focusing on screens and tacky tech like selfie cams.
While everyone eventually leaves with a mixed legacy, Wagener has made is mark at Mercedes and in the wider industry. That presence will be felt for years to come as the automaker recently introduced a starry new design language.
Mercedes’ Chairman Ola Källenius said, “Gorden Wagener has shaped the identity of our brands with his visionary design philosophy. Over many years, he has made a decisive contribution ensuring that our innovative products are synonymous with unique aesthetics worldwide. His creativity and his sense for the future of automotive design have sustainably enriched Mercedes-Benz” and “I would like to thank Gorden for his commitment, his exceptional work and his lasting influence – and wish him all the best for the future.”
