Yasushi Tanaka

Learning from a predecessor that was too restrained, and rebuilding the body, interior and technology

When planning the third generation, division executives concluded that the previous redesign had been too restrained. The development team led by chief engineer Yasushi Tanaka chose to rebuild the exterior, interior and technology more thoroughly, and development took four years. The shape, chosen from 16 proposals, was approved, and after repeated testing in a wind tunnel used for Shinkansen development, it achieved a drag coefficient of 0.25 on cars with air suspension.