Toyota/Lexus chief test driver died near Nürburgring today

[Kongo-Otto]

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/23/breaking-toyota-chief-test-driver-dies-lf-a-germany-ring/

RIP Hiromu Naruse and best wishes to the passengers of the BMW.

http://i46.tinypic.com/2004r5l.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/fc2074.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/2mds65e.jpg

Picture Source: Rhein Zeitung

[Kioshi]

It's a sad day....sad to hear this :(

[Kongo-Otto]

It is not clarified how this accident happened. Both cars are test cars, even the BMW was full of electronics. All Drivers have been wearing helmets (on a normal road?!).

[SilverBack]

NOOOOO!!! Poor LF-A :cry:

[RedHatch08]

Not just a "regular" LFA, but a special edition. Sad for the driver of course, but for that sweet ride too.

By the way: Is that BLOOD smeared across that helmet?

[RedHatch08]

^
How do you know?

Maybe he was eating a hotdog while driving. Maybe that's what caused the wreck.

[Kioshi]

i despise the driver assist technology...

And yes, that is blood smeared on the helmet.

[RedHatch08]

^
I still think it might be ketchup, not brain splatter.

... well not really ...

but I hate driver assists too. My car doesn't even have ABS and I love it.

[computerlove87]

It wasn't just a typical test driver...Hiromu Naruse was behind the wheel, he wasn't just a test driver, he was Toyota's Michael Schumacher, and he was also responsible for helping design and test a laundry list of the most beautiful toy's of all time!

2000GT
1600GT
GTSport
Corolla GTS/Trueno
EVERY FRIKKIN GENERATION OF CELICA
EVERY FRIKKIN GENERATION OF SUPRA
EVERY FRIKKIN GENERATION OF MR2/S
Lexus IS
and of course, the LFA

The world of Toyota is darker for his absence

[fujiwaru]

RIP Hiromu Naruse

[KRAZGRL]

RIP Hiromu Naruse & LFA

Very sad to hear.