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LIST
Lewis Hamilton
Formula 1 Driver,
Mercedes-AMG Petronas
Motorsport
2019 Rank: Unranked
The five-time (well on his way to
six at press time) world cham-
pion might be the best driver of
his—or any—generation. Since his
remarkable rookie season in
2007, he has dominated the
most elite level of racing. The
British driver’s personal
branding is unconven-
tional, but his record
speaks for itself, and his
fans are legion.Michael Mauer
Director of Style, Porsche
2019 Rank: 27
Mauer took the almost
perfect 911 and crafted a new iteration
that retains its iconic grace and
elegance. The designer also created
the Taycan, Porsche’s first electric
car—which had to be recognizable as a
Porsche while establishing a signature
look for an electric future.Tobias Moers
Board of Management, Mercedes-AMG, Daimler
2019 Rank: 31 The man behind the performance brand is
helping AMG transition to a new future with hybrids,
such as the One (with its Formula 1 hybrid
engine) and a new EQ Performance line,
starting with an AMG GT 4-Door by the
end of 2020, while populating the lineup
with snarling 43, 53, and 63 models.Thomas Ingenlath
CEO and Chief Designer,
Polestar
2019 Rank: 10
After a hybrid model introduced
the electric performance brand,
Polestar becomes a dedicated
EV brand to compete with Tesla.
Ingenlath oversees the design
and business end of this electric
performance vehicle division, which
must look different from the
Volvos Polestar shares
technology with.
Peter Faricy
CEO of Global Direct to
Consumer, Discovery
2019 Rank: Unranked
Faricy (above) shepherds
Discovery’s U.S. digital
projects as part of a larger
plan to offer low-cost
streaming of automotive
content. He is positioning
MotorTrend as Netflix
for cars with Top Gear
America, along with new
garage, adventure, and
lifestyle shows—bringing
automotive
entertainment to
the masses.Alejandro Agag
Chairman, Formula E
2019 Rank: 46
Millions watch each race, as
Formula E has become one of the
world’s fastest-growing sports,
silencing skeptics and raising
questions about whether Formula
1 should consider switching to
electric race cars. More brands,
companies, and cities continue
to join as the electric car
racing championship
enters its sixth
season with
14 races
scheduled.Andy Palmer
President and Group CEO,
Aston Martin Lagonda
2019 Rank: 4
Aston Martin had a rough
first year on the stock market,
but Palmer continues to work
on a lineup of beautiful cars
and developing a future with
hybrids, a new V-6 engine, and a
Lagonda EV lineup—while
still offering V-12 cars
in a world that
demands
compliance
with stricter
emissions
regulations.Marek Reichman
Chief Creative Officer,
Aston Martin
2019 Rank: Unranked
Reichman has injected bold
differentiation into new Astons,
creating such diverse vehicles as the
exotic Valkyrie hypercar, classically
beautiful DB11 grand tourer, sporty
Vantage two-seater, Vanquish
mid-engine car, muscular DBS
Superleggera, a first SUV with the BDX,
and Lagonda electric concepts.Britta Seeger
Supervisory Board Member for
Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing
and Sales, Daimler
2019 Rank: Unranked
Seeger is working to build the EQ
electric brand, finally pulling the
plug on the profit-draining Smart
brand in the U.S., and ensuring all the
Mercedes-Benz products in between
are resonating with consumers. Sales
have grown under her watch.Michael Simcoe
Vice President of Global Design,
General Motors
2019 Rank: Unranked
Simcoe took over the big chair in 2016,
so his leadership and design influence
is slowly rolling out. Long-term projects
like the mid-engine Cor vette were
largely locked in, but the road
appeal of the Chevrolet
Blazer and the
lines of the
Cadillac CT5
have his touch.JANUARY 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 65