Forrest Gump 9 Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 Toyota's chief test driver dies behind wheel of LFA in Germany http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/23/breaking-toyota-chief-test-driver-dies-lf-a-germany-ring/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPL_Josh Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 Wow, that horrible. To have been a factory driver for that long, i wonder if something in the steering (or anything else) might have malfunctioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 Me thinks speed was involved :whistle: Upside....at least he died doing what I have to believe he loved. Prayers to the other guys though. Testament to both cars though....notice in the video that while every airbag in the place was set off, the passenger compartments looked remarkably good. Now they were serious casualties of course, but still, very impressive. If either of those was a Chevy Cavlier, there wouldn't be anything left. Honestly, that's a job I would love to have. Right up there with live condom testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Jones Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 Eh, his accelerator probably got stuck. Yes I said it, Toyota's should be safer! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceGhost Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 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. Massive MI, he was dead before he hit the BMW. I hope I go with a massive MI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trouble Maker Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 Horrible and hits pretty close to home. Massive MI, he was dead before he hit the BMW. I hope I go with a massive MI. Did you read this somewhere, am I missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FourString Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 Very sad I will say though...LFA = *drool* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImUrOBGYN Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 This man did so much more than drive for Toyota. Even they called him the Godfather of the LFA and he is known to have had a hand in the 2000, supra and others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 what does MI mean.. myocardial infarction......aka heart attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrodh Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 Wow Toyota is not been having the best luck lately. Really sad story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 Wow Toyota is not been having the best luck lately. Really sad story. who knows....news might break that it was his error so he decided to forgo his meds and go out with a bang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got-Boost? Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 Sad news but the guy was 67-years old. I think he died before he even hit the other car (then again maybe he was confused in Germany from driving on the wrong side of the road in Japan)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Jones Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 Eh, his accelerator probably got stuck. Yes I said it, Toyota's should be safer! That was a dick thing to say. :gtfo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallard Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 Sad news. Hopefully the other driver pulls through. One of my biggest fears at my (old) job was being involved in an accident on public roads while traveling away from home. I've been on "ride-and-drives" where inexperienced people will grossly over drive the cars and put themselves and others in danger. During winter test season there are frequently test drivers killed in Sweden. This was obviously not what happened here, but I would disagree with the statement that "at least he died doing what he loved." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrousbird Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 I can't believe they are making an even more expensive version of the LFA. Isn't 375k (base...that's without navigation even) too much as-is?? Sucks to hear about the driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwilli1647545487 Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 I can't believe they are making an even more expensive version of the LFA. Isn't 375k (base...that's without navigation even) too much as-is?? Sucks to hear about the driver. I think you should be made to keep this name/avatar. It suits you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tbutera2112 Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 hm...those cars dont appear to be very safe...the damage really doesnt look that bad (cab wise), yet there was one death in the lexus, and one guy in the bimmer is in critical...hope they pull through, but if i was in the market for a bimmer and saw this, i think i would switch companies and look for something else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Gump 9 Posted June 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 The guy died doing what he love to do. He had done this thousands of time before. He probably had some medical condition that lead to the accident (could be heart attack). And I hate to say this, but the LFA will become an instant classic because of this news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceGhost Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 I don't know anything, but him being 67 and the witnesses said he "Veered into on coming traffic" on a public road when he was just driving the car not "testing" it. To me, it sounds like he had a Massive Heart Attack behind the wheel. I don't really see a test driver for 40+ years just losing control of the car on public roads. I think he was dead before he hit the BMW. That makes way more sense to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tbutera2112 Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 I don't know anything, but him being 67 and the witnesses said he "Veered into on coming traffic" on a public road when he was just driving the car not "testing" it. To me, it sounds like he had a Massive Heart Attack behind the wheel. I don't really see a test driver for 40+ years just losing control of the car on public roads. I think he was dead before he hit the BMW. That makes way more sense to me. i agree...still doesnt account for the lack of design in the bmw...the damage in the pics doesnt look anywhere to close something that should put somebody in critical condition juding by the cabin of the car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallard Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 hm...those cars dont appear to be very safe...the damage really doesnt look that bad (cab wise), yet there was one death in the lexus, and one guy in the bimmer is in critical...hope they pull through, but if i was in the market for a bimmer and saw this, i think i would switch companies and look for something else! First off, while the passenger compartments held up well, the damage is extensive. The problem with driving in a test vehicle is: #1) most of the time the airbags are disabled. Obviously the BMW's bags were on and deployed, but the pics of the LFA make it difficult to tell. It appears that they draped a white sheet over the interior of the car (the airbags are not that big). #2) if you are testing and riding as a passenger you could be holding a laptop, or even worse, there could be a hard-mounted laptop on a metal stand in front of you. My guess is the LFA driver could have crossed the center line due to a medical condition, but death could have occurred from the accident. He was "spied" on the Nurburgring shortly before this, and for all you know he could have been wearing a harness with his helmet and HANS removed after he exited the track. Or the airbag could have been disabled and hit hit the wheel. Or maybe he cut the corner because he didn't see anyone. Or maybe it got loose coming out of the curve and he was trying to save it. Who knows. The BMW driver is most likely the one that's fine, while the passenger probably sustained serious injury from either the airbag forcing something into him (laptop), or he hit a hard-mounted stand. The speculation (even mine) is worthless though. This is no reason to pass on buying a BMW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armin922 Posted June 28, 2010 Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 hmmm. interesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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