michael Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 A bit of Toyota history just left the race http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/23/breaking-toyota-chief-test-driver-dies-lf-a-germany-ring/ http://www.rhein-wied-news.de/?q=node/3741 According to reports, Toyota's chief test driver, 67-year-old Hiromu Naruse, has died in a crash on highway 410 near the famed Nürburgring race track in Germany. He was driving the recently spied Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition (above) at the time of the accident, and reports say he veered into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with two others test drivers in a BMW. The two BMW test drivers survived the crash, though one is reportedly still in critical condition. German video of the crash scene after the accident took place can be viewed below. Police are investigating the crash and have yet to determine its cause. Naruse was heavily involved with the development of the Lexus LFA supercar he was driving, along with many other past sports cars from Toyota's history since he joined the company in 1963. Enthusiasts today call him the "Godfather of the LFA," though he was involved in the development of sports cars for Toyota going as far back as the storied 2000GT from the late 1960s. The prototype of a special edition version of the LFA that he was driving when the accident occurred was reportedly worth 1.5 million euro Toyota's top test driver, Hiromu Naruse, died today after crashing a Lexus LFA prototype into a BMW while testing in Germany. The two test drivers in the BMW were also seriously injured. Naruse helped not only to test, but also to develop, the Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition he was driving in addition to a slew of other sports cars — including the 2000GT — since he started working for Toyota in 1963. http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/12/2010/06/500x_lexus_lfa_naruse.jpg A bit more about Hiromu Naruse: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/23/seat-time-with-hiromu-naruse/ RIP sir and thanks for your work on the iconic Toyota / Lexus cars you helped shape, the Supra being just one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Rip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jevansio Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Very sad Anyone else thinking the NUR LFA looks like it's been chavved up, cannards, black bonnet, gt wing? Looks like it's going the way of the Supra already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny g Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 I read this last night on Jalopnik... RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suprab1 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 RIP Hiromu Naruse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy442 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 RIP fella, hero to many. That LFA is terrible in yellow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 oh dear RIP Does anyone know if Hiromu Naruse helped develop the Supra? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted June 24, 2010 Author Share Posted June 24, 2010 Does anyone know if Hiromu Naruse helped develop the Supra? People who made it to the bottom of the first post and read the article linked to might if they didn't already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evinX Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Sad news. Even sadder news, that lfa looks like the tokyo drift rx7, the spoiler really reeks of veilside fortune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martini Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Very sad, the loss of a legend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 RIP Naruse-san. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j80leo Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 R.I.P good find Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lbm Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Sad news indeed Hope the critical BMW driver pulls through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcAB10 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Rip, test driving supercars all your life and living to 67 isn't too bad in my books! Unfortunate accident though. and I agree that the yellow/black lfa is very chavvy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseys Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Loss of a legend Hope he's remembered at Goodwood next week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Sad news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Very sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinlexusV8 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Very sad news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Very sad news. RIP. Naruse-san has logged more miles at the famed circuit than any other Japanese driver. So to end his life on a road outside the track holds an especially sad, if fitting, sentimentality Not only outside one of his favourite tracks, but in one of his favourite cars, and one of the best cars to come out of the company he's spent most of his life with. A fitting end indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathew Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 never heard of him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Sad news, I actually like the yellow and black... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted June 24, 2010 Author Share Posted June 24, 2010 never heard of him He spoke very highly of you and your achievements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathew Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 He spoke very highly of you and your achievements. im glad he did when he was alive as he sure aint gona be speaking of them now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantasupra Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 r.i.p Mr. Naruse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted June 24, 2010 Author Share Posted June 24, 2010 im glad he did when he was alive as he sure aint gona be speaking of them now. You're a disrespectful knob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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