Wagener’s signature works include iconic models such as the SLR McLaren, as well as highly influential generations like the W176 A-Class and the W222 S-Class.
On December 17, Mercedes-Benz Group AG announced a management decision approving changes to its senior leadership.
Gorden Wagener will step down as Chief Design Officer effective January 31 next year, with Bastian Baudy, currently Chief Design Officer of the Mercedes-AMG brand, assuming the role from February 1.
Wagener joined Mercedes-Benz in 1997 and has led the company’s global design operations since 2008.
With a 28-year tenure, he has been one of the most influential figures shaping the brand’s design direction over the past two decades.
Under Wagener’s leadership, Mercedes-Benz transitioned from traditional luxury toward a more modern luxury design language, spanning both production and concept vehicles.
His signature works include iconic models such as the SLR McLaren, as well as highly influential generations like the W176 A-Class and the W222 S-Class.
In the performance segment, the first-generation Mercedes-AMG GT is widely regarded within the industry as one of the most complete design achievements of the Wagener era.
Wagener also spearheaded a number of forward-looking concept projects, including the Vision One-Eleven and the Vision Iconic unveiled earlier this year.
Wagener’s tenure, however, was not without controversy. The all-electric EQ lineup, represented by the EQE and EQS, adopted a teardrop-shaped design aimed at achieving ultra-low drag coefficients.
This approach sparked sustained market debate and led to differing views among consumers regarding Mercedes-Benz’s EV design philosophy.
His successor, Bastian Baudy, joined the Mercedes-Benz design organization in 2010 and currently serves as Chief Design Officer of Mercedes-AMG.
He has led major concept projects such as the AMG Vision Gran Turismo and the Concept IAA, and has been involved in the design of multiple mass-production models across mid- to high-end segments.
Beyond the design organization, Mercedes-Benz also announced parallel management adjustments related to its China operations.
Jörg Bartels, current CEO of Beijing Benz, will return to Germany after completing his China tenure to take charge of electric drive system development.
He will be succeeded by Jens Bühler, currently head of the Kecskemét plant and Mercedes-Benz’s production operations in Hungary.
Bühler joined Mercedes-Benz in 2003 and has long been involved in China-related operations and global plant planning.
His return to China to lead the joint venture reflects a continuation of Mercedes-Benz’s strategy amid deepening electrification and localization of production.
Data show that Mercedes-Benz global sales in the third quarter reached 525,300 vehicles, down 12% year-on-year. NEV sales totaled 96,300 units, up 10% from a year earlier.
In China, sales stood at 125,100 vehicles, down 11% YoY. However, performance in the high-end segment remained relatively resilient, with vehicles priced above the one-million-yuan class recording a 13% YoY increase and a 4% QoQ rise.
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