Kazuo Kimura

Without permission from the top

According to Kimura, development was sparked by the buzz around the Hino Contessa 900 Sprint at the Turin Motor Show. It was being developed with Yamaha Motor to be shown at the Tokyo Motor Show, but because he had gone ahead without permission from the top, company president Katsuji Kawamata reprimanded him just before the show, and it could not be exhibited that year. Even so, Kawamata told Kimura to "bring a production plan" if he wanted it shown, and Kimura, effectively given permission, drew up a production plan and got it exhibited at the following year's show. Kimura has said the exterior sketches were almost complete before Goertz's contract with Nissan.