Slovakian designer Jozef Kabaná will be replaced at Volkswagen by Andreas Mindt, chief designer of British car brand Bentley.
A specialized server reported about it on Friday Automotive News, which cites sources from the automaker. Volkswagen declined to comment. Kabaň previously worked as a designer at Škoda, but according to sources, the new head of the VW brand was not impressed by some of his design ideas.
Bentley is part of the Volkswagen Group, and Mindt will take up the new role at the VW brand starting Feb. 1, sources told Automobilwoche, a sister publication of Automotive News. Kabaň became the chief designer of the VW brand in 2020, and now, according to sources, he will move to another, unspecified position in the Volkswagen Group. Volkswagen is expected to officially announce the changes in the coming days.
Mindt’s successor at Bentley will be Tobias Sühlmann, who currently heads external design at Bentley. Sühlmann started working at Bentley in October 2021, having previously worked at Bugatti, Aston Martin, McLaren and VW. Bentley is one of the ultra-luxury brands within the Volkswagen group.
According to sources, the new CEO of the VW brand Thomas Schäfer is not completely enthusiastic about the work of Slovák Kabana. Kabaň was asked to change the retro styling of the Volkswagen ID Life, which was unveiled at the 2021 Munich Motor Show, and instead propose a more modern design. The original concept was supposed to be a preview of the appearance of the basic electric car VW ID, which is to be introduced in 2025.
According to sources, Schäfer was also asked by Kabaň’s design team to rework the styling of VW’s upcoming flagship, the Trinity electric car. Schäfer wanted the car to look more like a crossover than a sedan.
Fifty-year-old Kabaň started his career as a car designer in 1999, precisely at Volkswagen. Within the group, he worked for the brands Audi, Bugatti and Škoda. Kabaň’s successor also has a long career at Volkswagen. Fifty-three-year-old Mindt grew up in Wolfsburg, where Volkswagen has its headquarters. Mindt’s father worked at Volkswagen as a designer.
