Grant Larson’s Porsche design career and Sonderwunsch work

Porsche reports on Grant Larson’s retirement after three decades of design leadership, highlighting key projects and his role in the Sonderwunsch program.

After more than three decades shaping the visual identity of Porsche, Grant Larson is preparing to conclude his tenure with the company at the end of 2025. His path can be traced back to childhood hours spent studying the changing silhouettes of American cars in Montana, an early fascination that eventually led him from ArtCenter to Audi and, later, to Porsche. When he arrived in Weissach in 1989, he found himself surrounded by people he regarded as icons, stepping into an environment that would define the next stage of his creative life.

Throughout his years at Porsche, Larson contributed to a wide range of projects, from concept studies to special editions and production models. Among the most formative experiences was his work on the Boxster show car, unveiled in Detroit in 1993. The debut came at a challenging moment for the company, yet the concept instantly captured attention and helped redirect Porsche’s momentum. Larson recalls the unusual freedom he had during the project and how a skilled clay modeller brought his drawings to life with precision, allowing the design to emerge without unnecessary embellishment—an approach rooted in his belief that every element must serve a purpose.

In recent years, Larson played a key role in the Sonderwunsch program, Porsche’s highest form of individualisation. The initiative gives customers an opportunity to co-create their cars, sometimes resulting in factory-built one-off models. For Larson, the heart of this work lies in attentive collaboration: understanding a customer’s ideas, guiding them toward coherent design solutions, and shaping their visions into something that fits both their personality and the Porsche identity. He notes that even seemingly simple choices, such as colour, open a deeply personal dialogue.

As he steps into retirement, Larson reflects with gratitude on the brand and the colleagues who accompanied him through more than three decades of projects and achievements. He will remain in the Stuttgart region, continuing to sketch cars for pleasure. Meanwhile, Porsche’s next generation of designers inherits not only his portfolio but also his perspective. In his view, enthusiasm must be preserved as automotive technology evolves; in a world moving toward autonomy, designers should continue nurturing the emotional connection that has always defined the Porsche experience.