Toyota Chief Driver Dies in an Accident in a LFA

noxredna · 06-23-2010, 02:55 PM

News from: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/23/b...germany-ring/2

BREAKING: Toyota's chief test driver dies behind wheel of LFA in Germany

by Damon Lavrinc (RSS feed) on Jun 23rd 2010 at 1:55PM

Name: lfa-crash-cap-630op.jpg
Views: 7498
Size: 74.9 KB

Name: lfa-crash-cap-630op.jpg
Views: 7498
Size: 74.9 KB

We don't have much in the way of details yet, but according to a report out of Germany, Toyota's chief test driver has died in a crash on highway 410 near the Nurburgring after veering into the oncoming lane and colliding with two others test drivers driving a BMW.

While the two BMW test drivers survived the crash, the yet-unnamed Toyota driver died behind the wheel of the recently spied LFA Nurburgring Edition he was driving.

The report says that the driver of the LF-A was 67 years old and Toyota's chief test driver, which leads us to believe that he is Hiromu Naruse, In addition to being the company's chief test driver, Naruse is also Akio Toyoda's personal driver and the Godfather of the LFA.

More information should be forthcoming.

UPDATE: The two test drivers in the BMW sustained life-threatening injuries and one is in critical condition.
UPDATE 2: Video of the scene added after the jump.
UPDATE 3: Spiegel is confirming that Naruse was the driver.

3XTR3M3 · 06-23-2010, 03:00 PM

un-fuckin-real

3XTR3M3 · 06-23-2010, 03:04 PM

Naruse said on May 26: "When we raced the LFA in Nardo, Italy, I thought I might not return to Japan alive."

skim · 06-23-2010, 03:06 PM

yea can't believe it..
hard to believe how a 300k car could not protect the driver as well as a 50k 3-series
i'd think the more performance car it is, the safer it is for crash tests..

erio · 06-23-2010, 03:09 PM

What a tragedy.

aajami · 06-23-2010, 03:35 PM

That's terrible. It was only yesterday that the special edition LFA involved in this crash was spotted on the Ring. What's notable is that while this accident looks bad, I've seen significantly worse accidents where everyone involved was able to walk away. Being a layman, this accident doesn't strike me as one that would result in a fatality and two critical injuries.

donovan · 06-23-2010, 03:38 PM

Why wasnt this on the news...?

damn soccer, taking up all the channels. On a serious note this is un real man.

3XTR3M3 · 06-23-2010, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aajami

That's terrible. It was only yesterday that the special edition LFA involved in this crash was spotted on the Ring. What's notable is that while this accident looks bad, I've seen significantly worse accidents where everyone involved was able to walk away. Being a layman, this accident doesn't strike me as one that would result in a fatality and two critical injuries.

I agree, but unlike most 2 car accidents where the cars get REALLY trashed, this was a head to head crash.

Scoobe · 06-23-2010, 03:43 PM

My father always told me growing up that Japanese cars used inferior recycled steel and thus were generally less safe in serious accidents. He thus refused to buy me anything Japanese while I still lived at home. Best not show him this story or I'll hear the lecture again.

noxredna · 06-23-2010, 03:45 PM

I think this was a complete head to head crash and the force of impact was not absorbed and dissipated by the body of the car..

It's not whether which car is safer, there are so many factors that come into play during an accident, the angle of the car, where the driver's hand was, air bag deployment force, body position in relative to seatbelt.. so many things to think about

A really sad day and my heart sunk when I read this news... My condolences and prayers are with his family.

adc · 06-23-2010, 03:45 PM

Is that a right hand drive car from the pics? That could explain why he was in the wrong lane at the wrong time...

Finnegan · 06-23-2010, 03:46 PM

Yikes.

3XTR3M3 · 06-23-2010, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noxredna

I think this was a complete head to head crash and the force of impact was not absorbed and dissipated by the body of the car..

It's not whether which car is safer, there are so many factors that come into play during an accident, the angle of the car, where the driver's hand was, air bag deployment force, body position in relative to seatbelt.. so many things to think about

A really sad day and my heart sunk when I read this news... My condolences and prayers are with his family.

You're right.

Because the engines in the back and BMWs is in the front, a head to head could have played in BMWs favor. I dont know, just assuming.

edit: did not know the LF-A was front/mid engine

mexicanmike · 06-23-2010, 04:15 PM

It probably also doesn't help that he is 67 years old. I am not saying old people are weak, I am simply stating that his body was more than likely a little more fragile and thus, injuries that may not kill a younger man, took there toll on him.

paul.r · 06-23-2010, 04:17 PM

The LFA also uses carbon fiber for the body. It shatters rather than bends, so I would assume it would do little to absorb the impact of a collision.

Scoobe · 06-23-2010, 04:18 PM

Lack of a motor in front should have created greater room for reduction of force in the crumple zone. Not sure how the LFA is designed but on paper, it should have an advantage.

J08M3 · 06-23-2010, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scoobe

My father always told me growing up that Japanese cars used inferior recycled steel and thus were generally less safe in serious accidents. He thus refused to buy me anything Japanese while I still lived at home. Best not show him this story or I'll hear the lecture again.

This is retarded... almost all steel in everything is recycled steel.

Serious · 06-23-2010, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3XTR3M3

You're right.

Because the engines in the back and BMWs is in the front, a head to head could have played in BMWs favor. I dont know, just assuming.

The LFA is front engined.

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul.r

The LFA also uses carbon fiber for the body. It shatters rather than bends, so I would assume it would do little to absorb the impact of a collision.

Ummm no, just no ... F1 cars often crash at 170+mph and they have way less structure to dissapate energy before the driver and you never even hear of F1 drivers dying or even being seriously injured.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scoobe

Lack of a motor in front should have created greater room for reduction of force in the crumple zone. Not sure how the LFA is designed but on paper, it should have an advantage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by J08M3

This is retarded... almost all steel in everything is recycled steel.

Agreed... especially since the LFA is mostly carbon.

Scoobe · 06-23-2010, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J08M3

This is retarded... almost all steel in everything is recycled steel.

Nope, Krupp Steel is forged from ore, as is most of US steel for auto manufacturing. Japan has no ore, thus they import and recycle all of their steel. To my knowledge, Japan imports no ore and have no ore foundries. Much cheaper to import crushed cars. Here and in Germany however, its cheaper to foundry ore than to recycle it.

edit: We do recycle steel here as well, but to my knowledge its not used often in auto manufacturing.

SpencerM3 · 06-23-2010, 04:29 PM

That's horrible news

Scoobe · 06-23-2010, 04:30 PM

Carbon body, the frame and stiffeners are steel no?

rominl · 06-23-2010, 04:43 PM

the lfa has no steel, it's either carbon or aluminum

either way the whole talk on steel is silly, not like it's proven in this case strength of steel is the problem

and this is the nur edition of the lfa (track version), info hasn't been confirmed, but it seems like there might be no air bag on this car (again, not 100% confirmed yet)

06-23-2010, 02:55 PM	#1
noxredna Captain 63 Rep 672 Posts Drives: E92 M3, E30 M3, 1M, F10 M5 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Singapore & San Fransisco iTrader: (0)	Toyota Chief Driver Dies in an Accident in a LFA - Sad Sad Day News from: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/23/b...germany-ring/2 BREAKING: Toyota's chief test driver dies behind wheel of LFA in Germany by Damon Lavrinc (RSS feed) on Jun 23rd 2010 at 1:55PM We don't have much in the way of details yet, but according to a report out of Germany, Toyota's chief test driver has died in a crash on highway 410 near the Nurburgring after veering into the oncoming lane and colliding with two others test drivers driving a BMW. While the two BMW test drivers survived the crash, the yet-unnamed Toyota driver died behind the wheel of the recently spied LFA Nurburgring Edition he was driving. The report says that the driver of the LF-A was 67 years old and Toyota's chief test driver, which leads us to believe that he is Hiromu Naruse, In addition to being the company's chief test driver, Naruse is also Akio Toyoda's personal driver and the Godfather of the LFA. More information should be forthcoming. UPDATE: The two test drivers in the BMW sustained life-threatening injuries and one is in critical condition. UPDATE 2: Video of the scene added after the jump. UPDATE 3: Spiegel is confirming that Naruse was the driver.
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

06-23-2010, 03:00 PM	#2
3XTR3M3 Lieutenant Colonel 99 Rep 1,575 Posts Drives: E92 AW M3 6MT Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: LA iTrader: (1)	un-fuckin-real __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 03:04 PM	#3
3XTR3M3 Lieutenant Colonel 99 Rep 1,575 Posts Drives: E92 AW M3 6MT Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: LA iTrader: (1)	Naruse said on May 26: "When we raced the LFA in Nardo, Italy, I thought I might not return to Japan alive." __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 03:06 PM	#4
skim Captain 142 Rep 660 Posts Drives: 07 Z4MC Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	yea can't believe it.. hard to believe how a 300k car could not protect the driver as well as a 50k 3-series i'd think the more performance car it is, the safer it is for crash tests.. __________________ Future mod consideration: exhaust, pulley otherwise, very happy with how the m3 was born
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 03:09 PM	#5
erio Captain 56 Rep 807 Posts Drives: e92 JB M3, 2012 GTR Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: GA iTrader: (0)	What a tragedy.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 03:35 PM	#6
aajami Brigadier General 432 Rep 4,567 Posts Drives: Space Gray '09 E92 M3 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Manhattan Beach, CA iTrader: (4)	That's terrible. It was only yesterday that the special edition LFA involved in this crash was spotted on the Ring. What's notable is that while this accident looks bad, I've seen significantly worse accidents where everyone involved was able to walk away. Being a layman, this accident doesn't strike me as one that would result in a fatality and two critical injuries. __________________ '09 E92 M3: Space Gray, Black, Carbon Leather \| ZTP 2MK ZPP 2MT 6FL \| link 1 / link 2 Mods: M Performance exhaust \| ZCP retrofit \| Euro airbox \| GTS DCT flash \| JPN 240 ECU flash \| Euro LCI taillights \| CRT lip \| OEM alarm retrofit \| Space Gray bumper plugs \| BMW Performance: Mk. II spoiler / Mk. II non-electronic steering wheel / mirror caps / front grilles / side gills / intake louvers / emblem
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 03:38 PM	#7
donovan Brigadier General 371 Rep 4,167 Posts Drives: R8 - Ford Raptor Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: National iTrader: (17)	Why wasnt this on the news...? damn soccer, taking up all the channels. On a serious note this is un real man. __________________ Audi R8 v10 Ford Raptor m3e46freak@yahoo.comfor all euro parts!! ebay/craigslist verified/ m3post/e46fanantics/m3forum/zpost/bimmerforum
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 03:43 PM	#9
Scoobe Lieutenant 19 Rep 562 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Sedan SSII/SN/DCT Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, TX iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 E90 M3 [10.00]	My father always told me growing up that Japanese cars used inferior recycled steel and thus were generally less safe in serious accidents. He thus refused to buy me anything Japanese while I still lived at home. Best not show him this story or I'll hear the lecture again.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 03:45 PM	#10
noxredna Captain 63 Rep 672 Posts Drives: E92 M3, E30 M3, 1M, F10 M5 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Singapore & San Fransisco iTrader: (0)	I think this was a complete head to head crash and the force of impact was not absorbed and dissipated by the body of the car.. It's not whether which car is safer, there are so many factors that come into play during an accident, the angle of the car, where the driver's hand was, air bag deployment force, body position in relative to seatbelt.. so many things to think about A really sad day and my heart sunk when I read this news... My condolences and prayers are with his family.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 03:45 PM	#11
adc Major General 2751 Rep 6,759 Posts Drives: 2018 F80 M3 ED Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: MD/DC iTrader: (12)	Is that a right hand drive car from the pics? That could explain why he was in the wrong lane at the wrong time... __________________ 2018 F80 Santorini 2019 Z4 3.0i 2022 X2 M35i
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 03:46 PM	#12
Finnegan Dog Listener 703 Rep 7,850 Posts Drives: Z4M/. Z3M, E36/46 M3 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Teaching the dog to slalom iTrader: (22)	Yikes.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 04:15 PM	#14
mexicanmike Captain 18 Rep 636 Posts Drives: 09 E93 Jerez Black Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Morgan Hill, CA iTrader: (0)	It probably also doesn't help that he is 67 years old. I am not saying old people are weak, I am simply stating that his body was more than likely a little more fragile and thus, injuries that may not kill a younger man, took there toll on him.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 04:17 PM	#15
paul.r Enlisted Member 4 Rep 38 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 M3 DCT Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	The LFA also uses carbon fiber for the body. It shatters rather than bends, so I would assume it would do little to absorb the impact of a collision.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 04:18 PM	#16
Scoobe Lieutenant 19 Rep 562 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Sedan SSII/SN/DCT Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, TX iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 E90 M3 [10.00]	Lack of a motor in front should have created greater room for reduction of force in the crumple zone. Not sure how the LFA is designed but on paper, it should have an advantage.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 04:29 PM	#20
SpencerM3 Sauce 75 Rep 2,023 Posts Drives: 2009 SSII E90 M3 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (1)	That's horrible news __________________ 2009 E90 M3 \| Silverstone II \| Black Novillo \| HRE P40's \| Akrapovic Exhaust \| Eibach Pro Kit \| Jet Black Kidney Grilles \| SSII Side Reflectors \| SSII Side Gills \| LUX H8 Angel Eyes \| Macht Schnell Filter \| Tecnocraft Envy Charge Pipe "M3 drivers have no friends." - Jeremy Clarkson
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 04:30 PM	#21
Scoobe Lieutenant 19 Rep 562 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Sedan SSII/SN/DCT Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, TX iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 E90 M3 [10.00]	Carbon body, the frame and stiffeners are steel no?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-23-2010, 04:43 PM	#22
rominl Second Lieutenant 17 Rep 278 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (0)	the lfa has no steel, it's either carbon or aluminum either way the whole talk on steel is silly, not like it's proven in this case strength of steel is the problem and this is the nur edition of the lfa (track version), info hasn't been confirmed, but it seems like there might be no air bag on this car (again, not 100% confirmed yet) __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote