Written by Bryan Chin
Thursday, 24 June 2010


I'm sure you all have heard or see the clips of 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. The following write up is dedicated to him.

IF YOU’VE NEVER heard of Hiromu Naruse before today, all you really need to know is that he’s a legend. So much of a legend, in fact, that the performance-auto elite has nicknamed him the “Nur-Meister,” which sounds sort of amusing until you run it through a German-to-English translator: Sole Champion, Only Master, One and Only Master. To call that a nickname with cred is a major understatement, no matter what language it’s in.

Naruse has earned it. It’s hard to find a prime test course the man hasn’t driven on during a forty-year career that led to his current job as Lexus’ long-time chief test driver, a position that requires him to put new Lexus models—at some point, it was probably your model—through nutty, high-speed maneuvers, both in closed courses and on the world’s open roads.

Put differently, he’s the guy who takes an engineer’s brilliance and translates it into real-world performance, suggesting enhancements here and there, and even determining the best places to test a Lexus prototype.

Case in point: it was Naruse who first suggested actually racing early LFA supercars at the 24 Hours Nürburgring, Europe’s infamous version of the grueling Rolex 24 at Daytona race—and where international racing reputations either skyrocket or go down in flames. Ask him why he suggested the idea, and he’ll tell you that he did it not just so he could actually race the LFA (which he did, and well), but so Lexus could “speed up the development process by three years.”

Which is another thing you should know about Naruse: Despite his love for what is essentially scientific stunt driving, he’s also vested in the quality of the vehicles he tests, which he knows will end up in your driveway. He’s a thinker. He’s precise. He pays close attention to what he’s doing to a car. And that’s probably why, unlike most veteran test drivers, he has never crashed a prototype. Not once.

So, with all that in mind, here’s a few fast, precise questions for The One and Only Master.


LEXUS: Bottom line—what makes a good test driver?

NARUSE: To create the best car, you need the ability to feel it, and to understand it. Think about food. If the first, middle, and last impressions—look, taste, and finish—are good, people remember it with a good feeling. Creating a vehicle is the same. Test drivers are like chefs, and I take the role of head chef.

What was it like to drive the Lexus LFA prototype the first time out?

I have to say, when I drove the LFA for the first time, it was scary. It was like a monster.

You put it through some pretty hairy tests last year.

When we raced the LFA in Nardo, Italy, I thought I might not return to Japan alive. The purpose of this “test” was to evaluate the car’s durability at 200 mph for a long period. The race was in the dark with no lights on the track, plus there were birds flying at me—and imagine if a tire burst! We created the final LFA through these kinds of test experiences.


What’s your most memorable moment as a test driver?

Well, I can you that for a little while during the LFA races, I knew how to draw the back of a Porsche without looking—we had been behind them at first. But when the Lexus LFA passed Porsche for the first time, we had such big emotions! After that, other racing manufacturers started showing us respect. They told us, “Lexus has created such an impressive car!”

What are your top words of wisdom for Lexus’ younger test drivers?

I tell them that the digital technology used to design vehicles, such as a CAD program, does not by itself create a vehicle’s aji, or flavor. As drivers, they need to push to get into their project vehicles and drive them as soon as possible—to me, this is the most efficient way to understand a new vehicle’s challenges. I tell them to trust in the power and ability of a human, a driver, to accomplish this.

So how did you add aji to the LFA?

Here’s one example: at one point during test-driving, while driving the prototype around a high-speed curve, I realized the response I was getting at 4,000 rpm was not what it should be. When I got back to the engineering team, the best way to describe what I wanted was to tell them to make the engine respond “sharp like a Japanese sword.” That’s what they did, and I hope Lexus owners who get a chance to drive the vehicle can feel the results.

Any advice for new owners of the LFA?

First, don’t get caught speeding. I am joking, but let me tell you: the LFA goes fast.

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There is a man who works for Toyota named Hiromu Naruse. He is 65 years old. As an engineer, he played an integral part in the formative years of Toyota’s foray into motorsports, and as a test driver, he is a craftsman of legends who has been involved in the development of many renowned Toyota vehicles, including the Toyota 2000GT, Celica, Hachi-Roku (meaning “eight-six” in Japanese - the AE86; Corolla Levin/Sprinter Trueno), MR2, and Altezza. It is no exaggeration to say that without Naruse, Toyota would never have developed these iconic sports cars. It is because of this background that Naruse is known as a “meister of automobile manufacturing” not only within Toyota, but also among many motorsports journalists in Japan. “Meister” is originally a German word as in Japan it has been used in the meaning of master craftsman, master artist, or expert in the field, mainly in fields of art, cuisine, craftsmanship and artifact. Naruse has long said that “just as in cuisine, the ‘flavor’ of a car is quite important.” The performance of the engine and chassis expressed by the specifications, equipment such as a navigation system and power steering, and other “specs” determine the basic performance of a motor vehicle and establish its attributes. This alone, however, does not make a car. In terms of cuisine, these are simply the ingredients, and preparing the ingredients according to the recipe alone does not complete the dish. It is the final seasoning that determines the quality of the food and whether it will impress the people who eat it. What exactly is the “automotive seasoning” that Naruse talks about? We asked him about this and about the “perfect automotive seasoning” that he strives to achieve.

Just as in cuisine, where seasoning seeks to maximize the potential of the ingredients and provide the customer with the optimal culinary dish, so too it is in the automotive world where “automotive seasoning” seeks to provide the customer with the optimal product. And just as there are many different types of cuisine and many different dishes, there are many types of cars. There are high-end luxury cars like the Lexus, and there are cars like the Vitz that pursue convenience and can be driven easily by anyone. There are also interesting cars like the old AE86, fun cars, and relaxing cars. Toyota has made many different cars. We seek to maximize the various appealing aspects of the vehicle (the individual flavors of the ingredients) that the chief engineer and other developers have created to achieve the perfect flavor. But because every vehicle is different, it is necessary to adjust the flavor according to the characteristics of each car. If some strong spice is thrown into every dish, each meal will taste quite similar, and be rather unappetizing.

People may think that “seasoning” a car generally entails replacing parts such as the suspension or the wheels to make the handling firmer and adding aerodynamic parts to enhance the aerodynamic performance. This, however, is “remodeling,” and is not “seasoning.” Seasoning (fine-tuning) and remodeling are completely different. We want the customer to feel that the product is “delicious” and be happy with their choice, and to think, “Wow, I want to eat (i.e. drive) this again!” Toyota currently sells a wide variety of vehicles, but are all customers truly satisfied? I feel a sense of self-admonishment and believe that our products still have a long way to go. There may even be some customers who have never tasted the true “deliciousness” of a car. I want these customers to experience the taste of the real thing and to experience complete satisfaction. This is how we feel. I am confident that with our seasoning, Toyota’s cars become all the more “delicious.”


When making omelets, the flavor will vary depending not only on whether salt or soy sauce is added, but also on how much is added, in what order, and when in the cooking process. The very best chefs can make all the difference to a soup by adding just the right amount of salt at the very end. The “automotive seasoning” that we do is exactly the same. The feel of the ride can change completely by changing the shock absorber shims by just two-tenths of a millimeter. Also, the quality of the ride that humans feel when driving is related to “longitudinal G-force” (“lateral G-force” is related to fear), and through experience and training, we can feel and adjust the force in units of 1/1000 of a G. The longitudinal G-force normally felt in an elevator is about 0.2 G, so this gives an idea of just how subtle our adjustments are. If these minute differences are taken in isolation, ordinary people won’t feel anything different. But when combined together with all the other minute differences, a big difference can be made to the “taste” of the car.

When we eat delicious food, if we can tell the secret to its delicious taste to be solely the careful use of salt or the use of high-quality soy sauce, then it can’t truly be called a great dish. Put another way, most people cannot really tell the difference between high-end brand clothes and relatively inexpensive clothes simply by looking at them, but when worn, the differences become apparent. This is the case of high-quality products and of true tastes. It is exactly the same with cars. One troublesome matter is that we get tired of food that tastes too good. If the food is too perfect, it’s good while we’re eating it, but afterwards, it does not leave any lasting impression. It has been commonly said that people get tired of a beauty after three days. With a car, as in the case of my dear wife, the true flavor comes out after years of being together, through thick and thin. As with one’s spouse, it is the odd imperfection that gives a car its unique character and appeal. Even at my age, I feel that I still have a long way to go. There is no end to the journey in search of new and interesting flavors.

When I speak to European engineers, they often talk about “agility.” They say things like “This car is agile” or “It’s not agile.” I do not speak English well (my discussions with Europeans are generally conducted in Japanese; rather than speak in halting English or use interpreters, it is easier to convey information in Japanese when talking to other engineers), so I don’t understand the underlying meaning, but I have taken “agility” to mean that the balance is good or well-connected, so I answer, “That’s right-‘taste’ is crucial for a car.” This is enough to establish a conversation, so I do believe that what we are trying to say is universal.

The best steering is found on Mercedes Benz vehicles. For riding comfort, it is BMW. If these characteristics were to be combined in one vehicle, would you want to try driving it? Unfortunately, if you were to drive such a vehicle, you would almost certainly be disappointed. Mercedes have a flavor unique to Mercedes, while BMWs have a flavor unique to BMW, and although each has its good points, simply combining them will not result in a better product. There is no point in imitation. We have to create a unique Japanese flavor that they do not offer. I want to create cars that have a unique Japanese flavor like the famous five-story pagodas in Nara and Kyoto, and compete against European cars. Japanese companies focus too much on eliminating imperfections. When cooking, if we add salt when it is not salty enough and then add sugar when we want a sweeter flavor, the flavor steadily becomes peculiar. The main point is that this is an issue of balance. If we focus only on the imperfections and completely eliminate them, the quality that existed until then would probably be destroyed. To create good flavor, it is important to accentuate the good points (strengths) rather than eliminate every imperfection. If we were to create an all-round vehicle with no imperfections that practically no one would dislike, it wouldn’t have any flavor. European automakers understand this well.


When adding seasoning, it is necessary to determine one’s own flavor. Even if you were to conduct a survey and ask customers what kinds of flavor they want, you wouldn’t find the answer there. Rather, there are two possible questions that you could ask customers. Does it taste good or bad? Or, do you want to eat it again or not? This is because customers are not professionals, and if you increase or decrease the salt according to customer requests, the flavor will gradually become peculiar. There is no sense in seeking a middle of the road taste that practically no-one would dislike. Of course, flavoring something only in accordance with your own personal preferences is not acceptable. That said, as a professional, no one will accept your creation unless you develop a style distinctly your own. In my case, when seasoning, I ask and answer questions by myself from the perspective of the customer. I first sit in the back seat, then in the passenger seat, and last sit in the driver’s seat and hold the steering wheel. My method is to first apply the seasoning from a distance. I perform this repeatedly, and the flavor is slowly perfected. After this step is completed, one’s own flavor is finally achieved.



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As automotive manufacturing has recently entered the CAD/CAM era, people like to replace everything with data and calculate everything by computers. Data, however, only indicates results in numeral form; the figures cannot represent transient characteristics that occur only momentarily. This is also the case with cooking, as the flavor is determined in an instant. Even if something is cooked according to the recipe, it does not always have the same flavor. A computer alone cannot generate flavor. I fear that we are becoming over-dependent on the computers. At one point, there was an attempt to quantify my know-how and create a manual. In the end, however, it didn’t turn out well. This is because know-how is not the same as knowledge. Results such as “in this type of situation, I used this kind of countermeasure” are no more than solutions for specific problems. What is important is asking how the solution was reached, or why something was done the way it was. This is what we call technique or craftsmanship. Craftsmanship is not handed down through education. Things that are learnt from others passively will never be useful. What is necessary is “nurturing.” In other words, you will not learn unless you feel that you must do something and want to do something and have the desire to learn and to take from others. Craftsmanship is handed down in implicit knowledge.


Races are the best forum for handing down craftsmanship and nurturing human resources. Unexpected things happen all the time and things that must be done out of necessity occur constantly. It is necessary to skillfully and accurately solve problems with limited time and tools. These types of things do not happen within a computer, but happen right before our eyes. It is under these extreme conditions that we focus entirely on winning the race and work as hard as we possibly can. The word “can’t” does not exist at the racetrack. This type of experience builds our character, and builds cars. Both the drivers and engineers focus their five senses to engage in a dialogue with the car under the extreme conditions of the race. It is through this dialogue that the perfect flavor becomes visible. Since Toyota’s foundation, it has placed particular importance on checking based on the Genchi Genbutsu approach, and it is through this that the flavor of cars is created. As I mentioned earlier, what is important is not discussing automobile development based on words and data, but to actually install the parts, feel them with your own hands, and see them with your own eyes. Looking back over Toyota’s history, prototypes of both the Toyota 2000GT and the AE86 were put in races before they went on sale, to refine their flavor. Toyota has always made cars based on this principle. I want car developers to study their craft through the medium of car racing, and remember that the flavor of Toyota cars was created on the racetrack. Even now, European cars such as Porsche and Ferrari are created on the racetrack.

A restaurant has a person who is responsible for determining the flavor of the dishes. That is the chef. The decisions of the chef are final. Dishes that the chef has determined unacceptable are never brought to a customer’s table; if the chef gives the okay, the dish will appear on the restaurant’s menu and will be served to customers no matter how many others object. Determining the flavor isn’t done by a majority vote. Deciding things by compromise is also highly objectionable. European automakers employ a master craftsman (meister) who is responsible for determining the flavor of the cars, and until that person gives the okay, the cars cannot be sold. I believe that Toyota needs this type of person in the future. A restaurant chef not only determines the flavor of the dishes, but has the authority to make decisions on all stages of preparation, right from procuring the ingredients. To me, the ideal would be for a member of the Toyota management team to be such a chef who understands completely the ingredients and the flavors.








sourced from http://www.autojunctions.com/index.php?opt...63&Itemid=1

RIP Hiromu Naruse. I guess toyota's new AE86 will be missing out alot with his feedbacks and fine tunings

What a big loss to the automotive industry..
RIP Hiromu Naruse..My deepest condolences to the family of the Hiromu Naruse..

A great loss to Toyota and also the industry.

Looking at the bright side, he died doing what he does best.


Though I wouldn't want to die behind the keyboard :\

I just read it in newspaper, his Lexus LFA collided head-on against 3-series

his passion & expertise are truly missed
R.I.P