Pfeiffer Retires From Mercedes Design Post

The head of Mercedes-Benz's design department is retiring this year after 40 years of service with the German automaker.

Peter Pfeiffer, who turns 65 this year, has led the design studios of Mercedes since 1999. Among the vehicles introduced under his tenure: the Maybach ultra-luxury sedans; the new S-Class; the new SL convertibles; and the entire current SUV lineup from Mercedes, including the GL, ML and R-Classes.

Pfeiffer was born in modern-day Czech Republic in 1943, and studied at German technical colleges before joining Ford-Werke as a designer in 1963. He joined Daimler-Benz in 1968 and succeeded Bruno Sacco as the head of design in April 1999.

Pfeiffer's successor is Gorden Wagener, the 39-year-old head of Mercedes' design studios in California and Japan.