This is the first of a series of Q+As contributor Tamara Warren conducted with designers from the NAIAS 2011 show.

The Porsche 918 RSR was the talk of the North American International Auto Show. Porsche Design Director Michael Mauer is responsible for the 767 horsepower sexy plug-in hybrid racecar that's due to be a motor sports contender. It's the racier version of the 918 Spyder hybrid introduced in fall 2010 and due for showrooms.

C77: What do you feel you achieved with the 918 RSR? Michael Mauer: There is such an intense appreciation for this car and there is the responsibility to the pleasure of driving. We had to visually capture this in the car. For design purposes we develop the design language and surfaces around it. If you look at the 918 there are subtle lines. We still stick to Porsche's background.

How do you balance the love for past Porsches with new cutting edge design? Maybe you need to be more careful, but we're not doing retro design. The 918 Porsche has a strong history. It is always a balance between history and visionary, but still respecting our identity. There's no need to do radical design changes. The shape is the same, we try to envision brand value.

What's your process like? I personally sketch by hand, because the little sketches are reminders when I try to visualize the cars. The younger designers like to do this on the computer.

What are your influences outside of cars? Inspiration is everywhere. As a designer you are more sensitive and open to visual things. If you talk about interiors and materials from the furniture industry, there are a lot of possibilities there.

Tamara Warren, a Motor City native, is co-founder/editor of the car and culture blog Gotryke.com. Her articles have appeared in over 80 publications covering culture, music, the arts, automobiles and design. She has written for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Delta Sky, Nylon, Vibe, Automobile and Forbes Autos. Check out her work and Gotryke.com and her clips on Tamarawarren.com.