CarGene
Soichiro Okudaira

Soichiro Okudaira

ToyotaDevelopment lead

Took on a simultaneous worldwide production launch with the tenth-generation Corolla, and later served as president of Daihatsu Motor

Timeline

  1. 1979

    Joined

    Toyota Motor Corporation

  2. 1999
    Progrès 1st generation
    Progrès 1st generation

    1998–2007Development leadfrom 1999

    Toyota Motor Corporation Product Planning

  3. 2001
    Brevis 1st generation
    Brevis 1st generation

    2001–2007Development lead

    Worked with

  4. 2003

    Executive Chief Engineer

  5. 2006
    Corolla 10th generation
    Corolla 10th generation

    2006–2020Development lead

    Worked with

    We will build the best-selling car

    When he was put in charge of developing the tenth generation, the Corolla was selling more than 1.4 million units a year in over 140 countries. Explaining the plan to hundreds of people involved at the start of development, Okudaira declared that, for the Corolla to stay number one, he would build the best-selling car. It was also meant to fire himself up.

    A simultaneous worldwide launch

    With the ninth generation, it had taken two years for Corollas around the world to switch to the new model. The tenth generation took on the task of starting it simultaneously worldwide. Issues to discuss piled up, starting with the procurement layout, and he clashed many times with members from production engineering, the plants and procurement, and argued countless times with plant managers.

  6. 2008

    Managing Officer

  7. 2017

    Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.AdvisorPresident

  8. 2025

    Toyota Genesis Research InstituteRepresentative Director

Connections

Soichiro Okudaira

Soichiro Okudaira

    • Fumio Agetsuma

      Fumio Agetsuma

      Advisor

      Okudaira, who worked on the design of functional parts after joining the company, received a great deal of guidance from Agetsuma, who served as chief engineer of the fourth-generation Corolla.

    Profile

    Graduated from University of Tokyo, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Naval Architecture in 1979. Development lead for the tenth-generation Corolla, which he took on as executive chief engineer.

    Translated from Japanese sources.

    Toyota engineers

    All Toyota engineers