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Peter Lyon's column
Japanese test drivers are unsung heroes, argues Lyon
It's no secret that the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany is the place to see prototype cars being put through their paces. But the hallowed track can give you an insight into what the manufacturers are planning in more subtle ways, too. I've recently returned from a trip to the 'Ring, and what I saw there was rather significant. While doing some hot laps, I spotted three mid-Nineties' Toyota Supras adorned with L-plates travelling in single-file formation, fine-tuning their line through the corners. In the lead car was Toyota's top test driver Naruse-san. How bizarre, I thought. Then, within a few minutes, I saw a gaggle of Subaru Impreza STis doing the same thing, this time with the firm's testing guru Tatsumi-san up front.
And that's when the cogs in my brain started to whir. These two Japanese aces were obviously instructing the next generation of test drivers for their respective firms. Now in his sixties, Naruse has decades' worth of Nürburgring knowledge and experience to impart to his up-and-coming team, as does Tatsumi, who is in his fifties. What I was witnessing here was effectively a changing of the guard, the old masters training their young proteges. Then, my grey matter started to work again, and I realised what was going to happen in the next few years. At the same time as these new test drivers take over the reins, the prototypes their firms are currently perfecting will blast open a whole new era in Japanese supercars and sports machines.
In recent months at the 'Ring, we've seen the Lexus LF-A supercoupé, a prototype of the big-engined IS500 saloon and the Nissan GT-R test mule. By the end of this year, a camouflaged production ready GT-R and heavily disguised versions of Mitsubishi's Evo X and Subaru's new Impreza will also have headed out on to the circuit. In addition, concepts for the next Honda NSX and S2000, plus the Toyota Supra, are expected to show their faces at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show.
All these cars represent an exciting new chapter in the Japanese auto industry. But that's where my gripe starts. As one former Japanese factory driver, who wished to remain anonymous, told me: "Test drivers in my country are unsung heroes." And he has a point. Have you ever heard of Naruse or Tatsumi? I bet not, even though you may have enjoyed the cars they helped develop.
On the other hand, people such as Ferrari's Luca Badoer, Lamborghini's Valentino Balboni and Porsche's current test pilot Walter Rohrl are familiar names to aficionados of performance cars. That's because they are revered as motoring heroes. And because of this, when they speak about their machines, everyone listens. Now obviously a Toyota or Subaru test driver will never become public property like some of his European peers, because that's not how the Japanese do things.
But I believe cars from the land of the rising sun, especially the sports models, would benefit greatly from having higher-profile testers. I feel that simply producing the machines that deliver the goods isn't enough. If the Japanese manufacturers plan to go head-to-head with big names such as Porsche, Lamborghini and Ferrari in the next few years, the companies will need some world-famous ambassadors to help promote their products, just like their European rivals have.
Peter Lyon is Japan editor of Auto Express and writes for a number of influential titles worldwide.
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| These cars represent an exciting new chapter in the Japanese auto industry | |
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And that's when the cogs in my brain started to whir. These two Japanese aces were obviously instructing the next generation of test drivers for their respective firms. Now in his sixties, Naruse has decades' worth of Nürburgring knowledge and experience to impart to his up-and-coming team, as does Tatsumi, who is in his fifties. What I was witnessing here was effectively a changing of the guard, the old masters training their young proteges. Then, my grey matter started to work again, and I realised what was going to happen in the next few years. At the same time as these new test drivers take over the reins, the prototypes their firms are currently perfecting will blast open a whole new era in Japanese supercars and sports machines.
In recent months at the 'Ring, we've seen the Lexus LF-A supercoupé, a prototype of the big-engined IS500 saloon and the Nissan GT-R test mule. By the end of this year, a camouflaged production ready GT-R and heavily disguised versions of Mitsubishi's Evo X and Subaru's new Impreza will also have headed out on to the circuit. In addition, concepts for the next Honda NSX and S2000, plus the Toyota Supra, are expected to show their faces at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show.
All these cars represent an exciting new chapter in the Japanese auto industry. But that's where my gripe starts. As one former Japanese factory driver, who wished to remain anonymous, told me: "Test drivers in my country are unsung heroes." And he has a point. Have you ever heard of Naruse or Tatsumi? I bet not, even though you may have enjoyed the cars they helped develop.
On the other hand, people such as Ferrari's Luca Badoer, Lamborghini's Valentino Balboni and Porsche's current test pilot Walter Rohrl are familiar names to aficionados of performance cars. That's because they are revered as motoring heroes. And because of this, when they speak about their machines, everyone listens. Now obviously a Toyota or Subaru test driver will never become public property like some of his European peers, because that's not how the Japanese do things.
But I believe cars from the land of the rising sun, especially the sports models, would benefit greatly from having higher-profile testers. I feel that simply producing the machines that deliver the goods isn't enough. If the Japanese manufacturers plan to go head-to-head with big names such as Porsche, Lamborghini and Ferrari in the next few years, the companies will need some world-famous ambassadors to help promote their products, just like their European rivals have.
Peter Lyon is Japan editor of Auto Express and writes for a number of influential titles worldwide.
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