Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Looks MatterIn the world of high-performance cars, you'd think the priority would be the engineering and the capabilities of the supercar. However, as much as speed and performance take precedence, the design of a car creates the image; it's what draws the customers in. Besides, you see the car before you actually drive it.McLaren is a proven engineering-first carmaker, having established itself as a dominant racing team. Over the years, though, it has further enhanced its appeal when it comes to its road cars, coming out with more models than ever before. Design-wise, the cars have always looked futuristic and forward-thinking, just like the engineering behind them.McLarenNew Chief Creative BossA new era for McLaren's design identity is underway, having just announced the appointment of David Woodhouse as the new Chief Creative Officer. Woodhouse will officially be part of McLaren Automotive's Executive Leadership Team and will be responsible for "driving creative excellence and consistency across every expression of the McLaren brand."AdvertisementAdvertisementSpecifically, Woodhouse will provide creative oversight across vehicle and product design direction. However, given his title and position, he will also be responsible for the creative ideas of brand identity, communications, retail environments, partnerships, and licensed products. All of this will translate to a cohesive, elevated McLaren experience across all the brand's touchpoints.McLarenExperienceDavid Woodhouse has over 30 years of automotive design experience, having worked with multiple brands. It all began with BMW back in 1994; he also had a few collaborations and consultancy projects with Mini, Cadillac, Range Rover, and Jaguar.His notable design leadership career began with Ford and Lincoln; in fact, he is widely credited for reinventing the Lincoln image back in the 2010s. After that, he became the Vice President of Design for Nissan and Infiniti, where his philosophy was to integrate Japanese design touches into the North American Market. Upon joining McLaren, Woodhouse will be reunited with Kemal Curić, a collaborator from his Ford days.McLaren/FordThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.