Turkish Automotive Designers Who Draw the World's Brands

Automobile Design
Author: Lütfi Mete Odabaşı
Creation: 13 October 2026

Murat Günak is the only Turk to have held the chief designer seat at both Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen; his signature extends from the C-Class to the Scirocco.

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Design teams at the world's major car brands include designers of Turkish origin; the best-known example is Murat Günak, born in Istanbul, who served as chief designer at both Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen. On this page, we tell the career journeys of these names, the models they signed, and the route extending from Türkiye to global design studios for those who are curious.

Highlights

Murat Günak the only designer of Turkish origin to have served as chief designer at both Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen.
Among the models bearing his signature are Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W202), SLK (R170), Peugeot 206 CC and VW Scirocco can be counted.
The body design of TOGG's first vehicles took shape in collaboration between Günak and Pininfarina .
TOGG C-SUV became the first Turkish brand to win an iF design award.
Türkiye, produced 1,486,393 vehicles in 2023, ranking 13th in the world.

Where Does a Design Career Begin? The Road from Pencil to Studio

Car design may sound like a dream, right? But in reality, every great design starts with a few lines drawn on a piece of paper. The story of Ege Argüden, whose passion for design began at the age of six in Istanbul, is a beautiful example of this: this passion sprouted not on computer screens as today, but on a sketchbook. For most world-famous designers, the entry gate is the same: paper, pencil, and hours of drawing practice.

So how do these lines extend to studios around the world? One of the industry's most respected educational destinations is the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. The school's Transportation Design program has trained many stars, from Marek Djordjevic, who had a part in the design of the Rolls-Royce Phantom, to former BMW chief designer Karim Habib. The pride students felt when talking about their instructor Richard Pietruska fit into a single sentence:

I am proud of all of them.
Richard Pietruska, ArtCenter instructor

Of course, not everyone mentioned in this school's story is Turkish; but this place is the clearest proof that this profession has a global "route". No matter which country talent emerges from, it passes through the same gates: first drawing, then design school, then young models in a studio, and then series bearing their own signature.

Murat Günak: From Istanbul to the Design Summit of Mercedes and Volkswagen

When it comes to designers of Turkish origin, the first name that comes to mind is undoubtedly Murat Günak. Born in Istanbul on August 9, 1957, Günak took his first steps at Ford after shaping his career at the prestigious Royal College of Art in London. What came next was truly groundbreaking: he returned to Mercedes-Benz as head of design in 1998, and there he C-Class (W202) and SLK (R170) put his signature on models such as these, which we still see on the roads today.

His next stop after Mercedes was Peugeot; there he 206 CC, 307 and 607 made contributions. He then moved to Volkswagen, where Passat CC and Scirocco'designed it. As a simple analogy: just as a chef works in different kitchens and leaves flavors that linger on palates in each one, Günak left his mark on the looks of four different brands. What's more, an interesting detail: the names of the Mercedes CLS and the VW Passat CC share the same name as a 1982 sketch - a nice example showing how ideas travel in the design world.

The inspiring thing about Günak is not just the cars he signed; it's the fact that a Turkish name has led the design of two giant global automobile brands. For a young person dreaming of becoming a designer, it's a straight-up "you can do it" message.

Models Bearing Günak's Signature

It's hard to squeeze Günak's career into a single sentence, because he took on different roles at every brand he touched. Gathering the milestones of his career in one table is both clearer and easier to picture:

Brand	Model / Role	Notable Detail
Mercedes-Benz	C-Class (W202)	Bears his signature as chief designer
Mercedes-Benz	SLK (R170)	Designed during his time as chief designer
Peugeot	206 CC, 307, 607	Contributed to the design
Volkswagen	Passat CC	Signed as chief designer
Volkswagen	Scirocco	Signed as chief designer
TOGG	T10S sedan and T10X SUV	Designed together with Pininfarina

This table also sums up how the industry works: a designer is not "tied" to one brand; they take on different roles in different studios and, each time, adapt to that brand's language while carrying their own signature.

Is It Only Günak? Other Names of Turkish Origin

Beyond Günak, designers of Turkish origin are also making waves on the international stage. But I have to be honest here: publicly available information about some names is very limited, so I cannot write everything with certainty. Still, here is what is known:

Murat Güler: Reportedly served as chief designer at Ford of Europe.
Hasip Girgin: Associated with the Mazda 3 model; detailed biographical information is scarce in public sources.
Levent Tuna: Mercedes designer; there are video interviews in which he talks about his career path.
Emre Hüsmen: Known for design work that reinterprets Tesla.
Ege Argüden: His passion began at the age of six in Istanbul, and he is building a sketch-based career.

The diversity of this list tells me something: Turkish designers are not confined to a single brand or a single country; they produce work across a wide range, from Europe to America, from the luxury segment to an electric future. As for the "Turkish designers" lists circulating on social media - some of them may have incorrect birth dates or model attributions, so cross-checking is essential. Here, we share only solid information.

TOGG and Beyond: Is This Talent Finally Returning to Türkiye?

Dünyaca ünlü bir tasarımcıyla dünyaca ünlü bir tasarım evi el sıkışınca, bir Türk markası tarihte ilk kez iF tasarım ödülünü kazandı.

Here is the most exciting part of the story: one of these names, who worked for years on assignments all around the world, returned for Türkiye's very own car. Günak took part in the TOGG project as chief designer and consultant. The design of the T10S sedan and T10X SUV prototypes unveiled in Gebze on December 27, 2019 belongs to Günak and the Italian design legend Pininfarina. In other words, the look of the first TOGG bears the stamp of both a Turkish designer and a studio synonymous with Ferraris.

Let's clarify a subtle nuance here: the fact that the body design was done jointly with Pininfarina does not invalidate Günak's role, but it would not be accurate to say "he did the design all by himself." The two should be considered together - like a handshake between a world-class designer and a world-class design house. The quality of the result, however, is unquestionable: the TOGG C-SUV won the first iF design award ever earned by a Turkish brand. The factory in Gemlik opened on October 29, 2022, with an annual capacity of 175,000 electric vehicles, built on an investment of approximately 22 billion TL.

Moreover, it is not stopping: it was announced that TOGG's C-XCoupe model will arrive in 2026. And there is not just an interesting rumor, but a serious move - Frank Stephenson, who has worked for brands like BMW, Ferrari and McLaren, plays the leading design role in Türkiye's second domestic car project. This project, to be established in Gebze with an annual target of 75,000 vehicles, appears to be the second chapter of the "designed in Türkiye" story.

Türkiye's Design Frontier: Strong Industry, Strained Talent Pool

So where exactly does Türkiye stand in this field? The numbers paint a strong picture: in 2023, Türkiye ranked 13th in the world with 1,486,393 vehicles produced and is the 5th largest producer in Europe. Around 85% of the industry's production goes to export, and annual industry exports exceed $31.2 billion. More than 250 international suppliers, 9 international R&D centers, and employment exceeding 500,000... In other words, we really know how to build and export cars.

The historical context is also interesting: the Devrim produced by Tülomsaş in Eskişehir in 1961 was the first domestically designed car attempt, but it could not move to series production. The first series-produced Turkish car was the 1966 Anadol . So this dream has been alive for nearly a century. On the other hand, the picture is not entirely rosy: the industry is strained in terms of talent. 2026 data shows that filling quality engineer positions takes an average of 47 days, while for electric vehicle profiles the candidate market turns over within a very short window of 10-14 days. In short, the talent shortage is felt at every level, and design careers are no exception.

Among all this, the design culture itself is also growing: TOGG winning the iF award, Turkish works finding a place at international design events, and universities now opening transportation design programs are turning this profession from a "dream" into a career option. To draw an analogy: the field is good, and developing players is now the goal.

Do You Want to Become a Designer Too? First Steps

If something stirred inside you while reading these stories, here are a few honest tips. First of all, this profession starts with sketching - as we saw in Argüden's story, drawing practice is the foundation of everything. Career guides also emphasize two things: good observation skills and awareness of brand identities. So just drawing beautiful cars isn't enough; you need to understand why a BMW's kidney grille is a kidney grille, and where a brand's design language comes from. It's a bit like being a footballer: talent is essential, but without tactical knowledge you won't get playing time on the pitch.

Günak's path is proof of this: art school, then the Royal College of Art, then a gradual rise through the studio. Schools like ArtCenter are considered the "Harvard" of this profession; students from Türkiye also apply to these programs. If you're looking at a sketchbook today, you might be touching the clay model of a concept car tomorrow. Does that sound too optimistic? Ask Günak - he started in Istanbul and went on to draw for global brands.

Final Word: A Line, an Identity

The story of automotive designers of Turkish origin goes beyond a single name. Günak's career spanning Mercedes to Volkswagen, Girgin's contribution at Mazda, the sketchbooks of the new generation like Argüden, and design's return to Türkiye with TOGG... They all send the same message: talent knows no borders, but it needs a studio, a pencil, and someone who believes in it. My favorite part is this: the Turkish names who draw for global brands are now drawing Türkiye's own car as well. Who do you think the next story will be about?