Mr. Yukihiko Yaguchi is the man behind the world-renowned premium Lexus sports ‘F’ series, as well as development leader of the ‘IS F’, ‘RC F’ and ‘GS F’ models. He is also a man with a vast knowledge of mini cars and an avid collector, at one point owning over 1000. How does Mr. Yaguchi; who has been in the automobile industry for over 40 years; see mini cars? ‘Seamless’ is the key word, which also aligns with the concept of the ‘F’ series.
As original cars are replicated as mini cars,
the connection between the two concepts becomes stronger
「One of the key features of the ‘F’ series is being able to run both on ordinary roads as well as racing circuits. In other words, the concept of the ‘F’ series is not to divide ordinary roads and circuits into A and B, but to connect them ‘seamlessly’. Currently, the higher performance of high-powered cars cannot be fully utilized on ordinary roads and so must be driven with caution. Therefore, the full extent of a high-performance vehicle can only be experienced on a race circuit and so I have kept taking driving lessons since 2009. Of those that come for driving lessons, 1/3 are regular repeat students, another 1/3 are irregular repeat students, and the remaining 1/3 are newcomers. Their ages range from early 20’s to late 70’s. It’s satisfying to see those who come to participate have a very enjoyable experience. Once they have finished their circuit race, they always come back smiling into the pit. Of course, the most important thing for me is that everyone can smile after a drive”」
Mr. Yaguchi says the most important thing for him is that everyone can smile by driving a car that he introduced to the world. But how would he feel if that car was recreated as a mini car?
「Seeing the car I’ve worked on be recreated as a model is always the aim and it’s something that I think should be done. A fellow car lover will understand the desire to keep a model of your own car on your desk so you can appreciate it after a long day at work. It’s during these times when you think to yourself, “I’ll stop work for today and go for a drive!” and envision this scenario with your mini car. In order to expand on this vision it’s important for your real car to become a mini car. A model of a car that only exists in the future raises questions such as ‘How do I use this?’ and ‘What kind of world is this in?’ but with a mini car of an existing model, anyone can appreciate and understand its place in their world. As you enjoy the mini car more often, the time spent with it increases and your fondness for a car only grows. In a lifestyle filled with cars, a mini car is something that connects you to the brand of vehicles, and so I don't draw a line that separates real cars from mini cars.」
「Because mini cars are static models, driving a radio controlled car is another alternative. Recently, cameras can be mounted on RC cars and driven from a first-person point of view. If it’s virtual (VR), children can enjoy the fun too! If everyone were to find this enjoyable, would the next step be to take it into the real world? I believe the role fulfilled by mini cars and RC cars ‘triggers’ the imagination that can extend into a real car experience.」
「Mini cars have a product development story as well. Kyosho was kind enough to provide many mini car versions at the time of the IS F release, but actually I brought my own collection today as well. One is the IS F police car and the other is the IS F prototype car released in the Nürburgring package, which was difficult to make at the time. As well as the mini cars of the future, to me mini cars serve as an acknowledgement of something memorable and special for which I am very grateful. I like to arrange my collection to tell its own development story. By showing customers the line-ups you can share not only the car, but also the story behind it. This results in a deeper appreciation or a deeper connection with the car.」
Lexus International
Product Planning LIZ
Yukihiko Yaguchi
In 1977, he joined Toyota Motor Industries. He was involved in the planning and development of Toyota’s leading models including: Crown, Century, LS 400, Majesta / Aristo, JZX 100 Tourer, Progress, SUPRA, amongst others. After that, he proposed and established the Lexus Center, launching the Lexus brand strategy and establishment of the development team of the premium ‘F’ sports brand. As development manager, he released the IS F, RC F, and GS F to the world.
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